ROCK ME FASTER

Licks of Leather, Book 2

Jenna Jacob
Published by Jenna Jacob
Copyright 2020, Dream Words, LLC
Edited by: Blue Otter Editing, LLC
ePub ISBN: 978-1-952111-01-3
Print ISBN: 978-1-952111-03-7
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This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are the product of
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 ABOUT ROCK ME FASTER

I come to life when I pound the drums,

but no one gives life to my heart…
until her.
Ross Walker, drummer for iconic rock group Licks of Leather,
is adored by millions…but distances himself from everyone.
How else can he atone for his unforgivable past? With another
tour starting, Ross’s manager hires Harmony Sharp to pose as
his devoted girlfriend in order to rehab his bad-boy image. But
Ross’s attraction to the innocent backwoods beauty is instant,
electric—and dangerous. The longer he’s with her, the more he
aches to drag her beneath him. If he can’t keep her at arm’s
length, he fears he’ll destroy them both.
Harmony Sharp is a budding self-help vlogger. From her
ecovillage high in the Kentucky hills, she teaches the joys of
inner peace through self-enlightenment. When her home is
threatened, Harmony agrees to spend six months on tour with
Licks of Leather as Ross’s “girlfriend,” but her real mission is
to heal his damaged soul. She’s determined to achieve her
goal, even if it means risking her heart. But will her love be
enough to save him?
 DEDICATION

For Momma Mary

December 17, 1935 – August 2, 2020
“You are the most beautiful memory
I keep locked inside my heart.”
Narin Grewal
 CONTENTS
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Thank You
About the Author
Also by Jenna Jacob
 CHAPTER ONE

Ross

“I
softly.
packed your bags and set them by the door for you,”
Angie, my longtime friend and housekeeper, announced

Lifting my eyes from the screen of my cell phone, I slid a

gaze over the woman leaning against the doorframe.
“Thank you.” A tender smile I rarely shared with anyone
tugged at a corner of my mouth. “You didn’t have to haul them
down for me. I would have done it.”
“I know. But the Cessna to New York I booked leaves in a
few hours.” She hesitated. “Need to work out some…
frustrations before you go?”
Normally, suggestion would flicker in her dark eyes and
her voice would sound husky. Not today. What was that about?
As drummer for celebrated rock band Licks of Leather, I
was looking forward to the start of another US tour. At the
same time, I was dreading it. The band’s usual three-month
respite had been cut short thanks to Quinn MacKinnon—
friend, agent, promoter, and president of Fusion Productions.
After he’d acquired a stunning ranch and state-of-the-art
recording studio in Texas, we’d spent nearly all of our normal
downtime on the outskirts of Denton. I’d only been home in
Chicago for less than a week. And though my band brothers
and I had laid down some killer tracks for our upcoming
album, I hadn’t been able to mentally prepare for six long,
celibate months on the road.
“I’d like that.” I nodded.
“All right. I’ll meet you upstairs.” She sounded more like
she was going to face a firing squad than fuck me.
“You okay, Ang?”
She didn’t answer right away. “Fine.”
Before I could call bullshit, she turned and walked away.
At the same time, my phone dinged. I glanced down to see a
new photo had been posted to the Licks of Leather social
media page. Opening the app, I issued a low growl.
Syd Wilson, bass player and resident prankster, had posted
a photo of me crashed out in a chair. Legs askew, head lolled
to one side, mouth open, and arms dangling toward the floor.
At least the cockbag hadn’t captured me in my underwear…
drooling.
“Asshole,” I grumbled.
Closing the app, I drew in a deep breath and stood. As I
headed down the hall, I shoved aside the command I’d once
wielded in another lifetime and locked it behind a thick wall of
steel. Taking the grand staircase to the second floor, I focused
my thoughts on keeping Angie safe…and figuring out what
the fuck was up with her.
When I reached my bedroom, I found her—like always—
lying naked on the mattress, legs spread, fingers teasing her
pussy. Readying herself for me.
It didn’t matter that Angie was seventeen years older or
that she had once been my mother’s best friend. The laugh
lines etching the corners of her mouth and her soft body now
affected by gravity didn’t bother me, either. At forty-nine, she
was still elegant, toned, and attractive. She was also blessedly
trustworthy.
Four years ago, I’d left rehab, clean and sober. My eyes
had finally been opened, but my control was in shambles.
While the tabloids were having a heyday with the dirty details
of my sins, I’d returned home. Like an angel of mercy, Angie
had appeared on my doorstep. It had taken a couple of weeks,
but I’d finally grown a set of balls and confessed everything to
her.
To this day, she still holds my demons, triumphs, and
dreams sacred.
Though I’d conquered the monsters that fed my addiction,
their ghosts still hovered, whispering all the reasons I should
lose myself in the euphoria of cocaine again. I blocked them
out for sobriety’s sake, while Angie did her part to keep me
sane through equal parts salvation and humiliation. And for
that, I owed her more than gratitude. More than the obscene
amount of money I gave her each month. And far more than
the few minutes of hollow pleasure we sometimes shared.
If the shrinks back in rehab knew the things Angie did to
me, they’d stroke out. But they could go fuck themselves.
They hadn’t lived through my hell. Angie understood—and
she didn’t judge. She knew I couldn’t trust myself with anyone
else yet. So, she helped me.
Hands working the fly of my jeans, I kicked them off
impatiently, sending them sailing across the hardwoods. Then
I tugged my tee over my head and tossed it in the other
direction before taking six long strides to the edge of the bed.
“How close?” I asked in a voice thick with need.
“Halfway there,” she answered, rubbing a finger over her
stiff clit. She glanced at my fist as I stroked my cock to entice
an erection. “Do you need to use my mouth?”
Her blatant submissive offer made my dick thicken and
harden.
“No, and you know better than to offer that right now.”
“It worked, didn’t it?” She smirked, arching a brow at my
hard-on.
Stroking faster, I narrowed my eyes. “You’re not in
charge.”
“Not yet, but it won’t be much longer.”
 Smart-ass.
Watching me abuse my dick, she licked her lips to urge me
on. And dammit, it worked. The sight turned me hard as steel
and had my crest begin weeping profusely.
“That’s it,” she murmured. “It’s time.”
I hated not being in control. A feral roar slipped free as I
tugged against my mental chains, but even my inner beast,
who’d once relished taking charge, knew I didn’t have a
choice.
“Fine.” Chest heaving, I started to climb onto the bed.
“Don’t.” Angie’s warning froze me in my tracks. “Move
away so I can get off the bed.”
Far away so I couldn’t touch her yet. Where she’d be safe.
With a sharp nod, I took several steps back, until she was
well out of my reach.
“Do it,” I instructed.
Without another word, Angie slid off the bed and dragged
up the hidden restraints chained to the frame. Then she placed
the thick, fleece-lined leather cuffs at each corner of the
mattress, watching me like she was unsure.
Since she knew my history, she had good reason to be.
To stop the mental emasculation, I ignored her
preparations and skimmed a gaze over her flaring hips, tapered
waist, and heavy breasts. The impatient beast inside me
snarled to fuck, to take control.
“Hurry,” I growled.
Angie glanced at me, brow raised. “Last night didn’t help
much, did it?”
“No. Get out of the way. Now.”
“Easy, Ross.” She took a step back and eyed me warily.
Still wildly stroking my cock, I stormed to the bed and
flopped onto my back. Heart pounding, I pressed my head into
the pillow and clenched my jaw. “Make them tight.”
 With a stare both sympathetic and worried, Angie sat
beside me. “I’ve got you. Relax. I’ll take care of you.”
Her tone, meant to placate, felt patronizing. Maybe if I’d
had more time to slip into a better headspace, I’d be less angry.
Maybe if I knew what was up with her weird mood, I’d be less
agitated. But knowing this was the last sex I’d have for six
fucking months made me volatile. I could feel control slipping
through my fingers.
“I can’t relax. Fucking hurry.”
My urgency clearly rattled her because she fucked up and
pried my fist off my cock. I clenched my jaw—battling an
increasing need to take charge—and forced myself to comply
while she raised my arm toward the cuff.
But as Angie leaned over my body to secure the clasp, her
pebbled nipple brushed my lips.
My restraint snapped.
Sinking my free hand into her hair, I cinched the soft
waves tightly. A guttural roar rolled from my chest as I opened
my mouth and latched on to the hard tip, sucking deep.
Angie tensed. “Take your mouth off me, Ross.”
But I couldn’t. I was too far gone. I craved some
semblance of control.
“Let go.” Her tone was harsh and commanding, just like
I’d taught her. “Now.”
The power surging through me zapped all reason and I bit
the taut nub. Her cry, a mix of pleasure and fear, turned my
inner beast wild, and I growled as I tugged and devoured her
breast.
I was a sick fuck like that.
Her slender fingers clutched my cock. I issued a groan of
delight, and my eyes rolled to the back of my head. Then
without warning, she squeezed, twisting my shaft as if trying
to turn it into a balloon poodle. Pleasure sliced to pain, and I
released her, howling. But Angie didn’t relent. She simply
tightened her hold and sent me a stern frown.
 “Let go,” I gasped through the rage and pain.
“Not until you’re under control.” Though her voice was
low and calm, she couldn’t hide the fear in her eyes.
Fuck.
Guilt spilled through me. I closed my eyes, and though
Angie’s hand was still gripping my shaft, I managed to chain
down my beast.
“I’m good.”
“Are you sure?”
Sending her an apologetic grimace, I nodded.
Releasing me, she stood, this time keeping her distance as
she secured my ankles and wrists in the wide leather cuffs. I
closed my eyes. I hated watching her fasten me down and strip
away my Dominance. Instead, I focused on the smell of the
leather, but that only made me ache for the past I’d given up.
Atonement was a red-hot bitch.
When I was secured, she climbed onto the bed and
straddled my hard stomach. “You’re safe. Let your mind go.”
I wanted to, but images of what might have happened if
Angie hadn’t literally taken the situation in hand saturated my
brain.
My erection was at half-staff, which only added to my
guilt. Angie wasn’t going to find relief with a limp cock, and
neither was I. As if reading my mind, she slid down my body
until her lips hovered above my uncooperative dick.
“Just feel,” she whispered.
I closed my eyes, wanting to anticipate the suction of her
mouth. But all I could think about was how fucked up I’d
become and how I’d allowed myself to be reduced to this
simply to function.
Stop mind-fucking yourself, and focus on fucking Angie.
When she wrapped her mouth around me, I finally stopped
fighting my ghosts and surrendered. My cock sprang back to
life. I reached for her head, but the chains—as they’d been
designed to do—kept me from touching her.
It was for her own good—and mine. But that didn’t stop
me from wanting to fist her hair, set the rhythm I liked, and
use her mouth. Sadly, the power I once wielded was nothing
but a memory of a life long gone.
No matter how frustrating and unfulfilling this sterile
fucking might be, this was my new norm. My penance. It was
depressing as shit and I still couldn’t accept it, so I told myself
that every directive Angie followed was an extension of my
control. Yeah, it was pure bullshit, but thinking too hard on the
reversal of the dynamics would only drive me insane.
Since I had a schedule to keep and a plane to catch, I lifted
my lids and watched her mouth work my cock.
Soon, the mounting friction sent tingles crawling up my
spine.
“Enough,” I growled. “Grab a condom and your vibe and
shove me inside you. Now.”
Angie complied, and after rolling the latex down my
length, she straddled me again, positioning her opening to my
crest. She pressed the buzzing toy to her clit, and with a grunt,
I lifted my hips and drove deep inside her.
Inwardly cursing the cuffs, I closed my eyes again and let
her set the pace. She knew how I liked it—hard, fast, and
ruthless. And as always, she didn’t disappoint. I made sure
Angie got the pleasure she deserved first, then followed her
over.
Panting and sweating, she collapsed over my chest. This
was the worst part, because I couldn’t even give her the
aftercare she deserved.
Stop, fucker. She’s not your sub or your girlfriend, the
voice in my head barked at my guilty conscience.
“I need free, babe,” I murmured softly.
“Oh, right.” Angie lifted her head. “Thanks. That was…”
 She didn’t finish her thought, simply lifted off my still-stiff
cock, disposed of the condom, then started working the clasps
free at my wrists.
“It was what?” I asked as I shook out my arms, sending
blood flowing again.
Angie paused briefly, then freed my ankles. “Amazing as
always, but…”
“But?”
Sliding on the robe draped across the chair near the
fireplace, Angie sent me a sad smile. “I’m not going to be here
forever, Ross.”
“You’re here now.”
“I know, but…” She sucked in a deep breath. “I’ve known
you since you were four years old, and—”
“I’ve already told you. The age difference doesn’t matter.”
“I’m not talking about that. You’ve been in a dark mood I
haven’t seen you in for a long time. What’s going on? What’s
bothering you?”
“It’s not any darker than usual. I mean, yeah, it would have
been nice to have more than a few short days to rest, regroup,
and recharge, but other than that, nothing’s wrong.”
“Are you sure? I’m worried.”
“About me?”
“No, worried that doing all this”—she waved at the cuffs
—“is doing a disservice to you.”
“It’s part of what I pay you for.” The second the words left
my lips, she blanched, and I cringed. “I didn’t mean it like
that, Ang. You’re more to me than—”
“A hooker? Sadly, that’s what I feel like.”
“Fuck.” I sat up and dragged a hand over my bald head.
“How can I fix it?”
“Start living again,” she pleaded. “It’s time for you to
move on.”
 “No.” I shook my head. My gut clenched in dread. “I’m
not ready yet.”
“You are. It’s been four years. I can’t be your crutch
forever. You need—”
“Crutch? You suggested we try the cuffs. And guess what?
It worked.” Fear and anger churning, I launched off the bed
and grabbed my jeans. “I never meant for you to feel like a
hooker or an enabler.”
“I know. I also know now isn’t the time to start this
conversation, but…” She sighed. “Do me a favor?”
“Anything.”
“Put the past to rest once and for all.”
“I’ve tried.”
“Try harder. Focus on the kind of life you want, not the
one you’re living now.”
“The one I want doesn’t exist.”
“It does if you change here.” She tapped a finger to my
head.
“I’ll try.”
“Thank you.” She glanced at the clock on the nightstand.
“Grab a shower. Your limo will be here in thirty minutes.”
I arched my brows. “You’re not in charge anymore.”
She rolled her eyes and sent me a vague smile. Then she
was gone.
It was nearly four in the afternoon when the private jet
landed in New York. As the Cessna taxied to a limo waiting on
the tarmac, I tried to leave the promise I’d made to Angie—
that had rolled through my brain the entire flight—on the
plane. But it followed me, haunted me all the way to Midtown.
Forcing my prickly unease aside, I peered out the tinted
window. I would have liked to say it was good to be home, but
I honestly didn’t miss this city. No, that was a lie. I loved the
hustle, bustle, and the bright lights. What I hated was the
myriad of memories that crawled through me each time I
returned. If I could bypass New York altogether, I would.
But I couldn’t.
In a little over forty-eight hours, we’d be kicking off
another US tour, with back-to-back sold-out shows at Madison
Square Garden. Usually, I was stoked to be around my band
brothers again. It beat hanging out at home or at the dive bar
down the street. But I had serious reservations about this tour.
It was going to be way different than any of the others because
Quinn, in all his infinite wisdom—or infinite greed—had
persuaded Mia “Phoenix” Harris—up-and-coming rock queen
and drummer Ozzy Page’s (second-time around) significant
other—to debut as our opening act. I didn’t have an issue with
her musical ability. Mia owed her rising fame to her killer
stage presence, unique sultry sound, and phenomenal vocal
range. I simply didn’t want to watch her and Ozzy eye-
fucking each other or listen to them actually doing the deed for
the next six months. The tour bus wasn’t exactly a sanctum of
privacy.
I tucked my apprehension away as the limo stopped in
front of the ornately carved stone and beveled arched entrance
of the neo-gothic hotel. I grabbed my bags, slid the driver a
hundred bucks, and entered the lobby. Paying little attention to
the industrial décor, I strode to the front desk. After dismissing
the gushing young woman who handed me my keycard and
her phone number, I took the elevator to my suite.
I tossed her number in the trash and started to unpack
when my cell phone rang. A glance at the caller ID had me
shaking my head.
“Did you plant a homing device in me while we were at
the ranch?”
“Don’t give me any ideas, fucker,” lead singer Burk
Jennings said with a chuckle. “You make it to the hotel yet?”
“Just got here. Unpacking. What’s up?”
“Quinn’s here.” For our usual send-off. “We’re getting
ready to grab some dinner. Meet us in the lobby in ten.”
 “What’s the magic word?” I couldn’t resist pushing his
Dominant button.
“Fuck you.”
I bit back a smirk. “Be there in three.”
 CHAPTER TWO

Harmony

B utterflies dipped and swooped as the airplane touched

down on the runway. I’d been staring out the window for
twenty minutes as the pilot circled the city, taking in all the
lights. Even from the air, New York was larger than life.
Hands down, it was the biggest city I’d ever seen. The fear of
being swallowed up by the sea of humanity below me only
added to my amplified angst.
What am I doing? I asked for the thousandth time.
Saving the family. Yes, but something more lay on the
fringes of my psyche that I couldn’t capture or dissect. And
the frustration of trying to figure it out was weighing heavier
and heavier by the minute.
Last year when I first began posting my video blogs,
sharing peace and serenity found through enlightenment—the
beautiful building blocks I’d been raised with—I never
imagined my teachings would capture the attention of anyone
powerful, rich, or famous.
But three days ago, a man named Quinn MacKinnon—
claiming to be a successful agent and promotor for several
well-known musicians—emailed me a unique and intriguing
request. I always strived to find the good in everyone, but at
first, I thought his message a hoax. After doing a little online
research, I discovered Quinn was the real deal. He actually
was the president of Fusion Productions, an industry leader of
music promotion.
I cautiously opened the attachment he’d included and
nearly swallowed my tongue. The man had already drawn up a
contract, offering me an obscene amount of money if I could
drag one of his longtime clients, a man named, Ross Walker,
from his self-imposed fortress and reintroduce him to a life of
light and love.
I was totally shocked but slowly realized I’d been chosen
by Maat—the goddess of truth, justice, and order—to receive
her divine intervention. She was offering me a chance to bring
balance back to the people of Gaia Garden. My family.
The duty to restore harmony rested solely on my
shoulders. Not because of my name but because I had been
chosen to right my mother’s wrong. Astrid had given me life
and the gift of sharing this lush Kentucky mountain with many
beautiful people. Then she robbed us all and ran away, taking
the money we’d scrimped and saved, selling our wares—
money earmarked to cover the annual property tax of our
home.
Pushing my disappointment in Mother aside, I’d typed the
name; Ross Walker in my search engine and netted a plethora
of images. Photos of the most beautifully erotic, massively
muscle-bound, intimidating man I’d ever seen in my life lit up
the screen.
My breath had caught and crazy somersaults tumbled in
my stomach as I gaped at his chiseled cheekbones, the
rebellious set of his strong jaw, and the arrogant tilt of his bald
head. Clicking through the pictures, I’d lost a little more of
myself in each one.
Pausing at a shot of him stepping from a swimming pool,
I’d traced a fingertip over the drops of water beading the
mouthwatering muscles bulging beneath his bronze skin, the
colorful tattoos decorating his thick arms and the ridges and
planes of his marbled pecs and washboard abs.
With a wistful sigh, I’d savored the sight of his rugged
body like a square of milk chocolate melting on my tongue. A
naughty pulse had flared between my legs. Sliding a stare from
his amazing body to his emotionless expression, I focused on
his dark blue eyes. I’d been so captivated by his stirring
physique, I’d missed the stark suffering reflected there. An
ominous chill slid down my spine. Trying to determine the
root of his glaring turmoil, I dropped my barriers and set my
empathic gift free. But instead of gaining the insight I sought,
my emotional receiver bounced off the sturdy wall he’d
erected around himself.
“You’re going to be a tough nut to crack, aren’t you?” I’d
muttered out loud.
Rising to the challenge, I’d clicked a link in my browser
and started gathering as much information as I could about this
beautiful but troubled man.
Ross Walker, born March 30, 1988. In 2006, he joined
Burk Jennings, Ozzy Page, Darren Ash, and Syd Wilson as
drummer of the multiple-platinum and Grammy Award
winning rock group Licks of Leather.
I’d never heard of the band or any of the songs listed on
the site, but that didn’t surprise me. I’d been born and raised
on our mountain in Kentucky. The only music I’d ever heard
was the bluegrass melodies Jeb played on the banjo at night
around the firepit.
I’d continued reading the encyclopedia-type page only to
feel my heart sink when I learned that Ross had been addicted
to cocaine. Relief came quickly when I discovered that he’d
sought rehab and, from what the article said, had been clean
and sober for over four years.
Scrolling down the page, I’d sucked in a gasp as an image
of Ross, flashing a carefree, panty-melting smile, came into
view. Mesmerized by the sheer beauty of the blinding
happiness glimmering in his eyes and lighting his face. Unlike
the other photos, there wasn’t a trace of suspicion or
uncertainty in his unguarded expression.
My heart and mind had started racing.
 Though I couldn’t connect with him through the photos—
an issue I hoped to remedy once we were face-to-face—I
knew this happy, glowing version of Ross wouldn’t have
succumbed to addiction without a damn good reason. Clearly,
something catastrophic had pushed him over the edge.
I’d decided then and there to do everything in my power to
replace the ghosts haunting this man with light and love. And
maybe, just maybe, he would gift me with one of his blinding,
tantalizing smiles.
Without thinking twice, I’d replied to Quinn’s email. After
a few more exchanged messages, and finally a cell phone call,
I’d agreed to let him fly me to New York and meet with him
before signing his generous contract.
As the airplane taxied to the gate and stopped, I stood and
inched my way down the aisle, sending up a silent prayer to
Athena—goddess of wisdom—for the proper insight to heal
the gorgeous drummer’s soul.
When I stepped into the terminal, I gaped at the ocean of
people pulsing and pushing their way through the labyrinth of
bodies. My heart drummed wildly as my fear of being
swallowed up by humanity became a reality. Fighting the urge
to rush back to my seat on the plane and return to the safety of
my Kentucky mountain, I sucked in a deep breath before
merging with the masses and followed the signs to the
baggage claim.
Quinn had promised a limo would pick me up from
LaGuardia and deliver me to a hotel in Midtown Manhattan.
But I had no idea how I was supposed to find said limo. As
anxiety began to skyrocket, I glanced to a line of men wearing
dark suits and holding placards in the air. Skimming my gaze
over the various names scrawled on their signs, I felt my angst
bleed away when I spied my name emblazoned on one.
I made my way to the older man holding the sign and
smiled. “I’m Harmony Sharp.”
“Good evening, ma’am. My name is Gerry. I’m your
driver this evening.”
 Though he was a total stranger, his warm smile ignited my
sixth sense—which was screaming that he possessed a kind
and gentle soul—and melted my anxiety.
Suddenly, a loud buzzer sounded behind me. I jumped and
turned as the baggage carousel began moving. After I pointed
out my suitcases gliding along the revolving belt, Gerry
plucked them up, then led me outside and into a long black
limo.
I gazed up at the sweeping arch of tiny gold star lights
embedded in the ceiling and smiled at the shimmering glass-
and-chrome curved bar—fully stocked—across from my seat.
A glass of champagne sat in a cupholder to my left while the
open bottle lay chilling in an ice-filled reservoir on a long
table in front of me, beneath a flat-screened television.
“I thought taking my first plane ride was going to be
exciting,” I murmured as the limo eased from the curb.
Skimming a hand over the soft gray leather seats, I stamped
the ostentatious interior to memory. “But this…this is insane.”
Plucking up the glass, I took a sip and swallowed. The
bubbles tickled my nose and tongue and I almost choked on a
giggle.
“So, this is how the rich and famous live. Not bad,” I said
to myself before taking another sip.
So enthralled with my surroundings, I nearly forgot there
was a big, busy city beyond the heavily tinted windows.
Careful not to spill my champagne, I moved to the seat beside
the door and peered out the window.
“Mercy,” I whispered, taking in the bright lights, the
crowded sidewalks, and the tall skyscrapers reaching for the
stars.
I definitely wasn’t in Kentucky anymore. No, I wasn’t.
And if I failed to mend Ross Walker’s damaged soul, there’d
be no home for me to return to. The people of Gaia Garden
were counting on me to save our land, our oasis of peace. I
couldn’t let them down… I wouldn’t let them down.
 I took a gulp of champagne to wash away my worries as
my cell phone rang. After a glance at the ID, I swallowed the
bubbly for fortification.
“Hello, Quinn.”
“Hey, Harmony. I just received a notice from the limo
company that you’re en route to the hotel.”
“Yes. I am.”
“Did you have a good flight?”
“I did. It was exciting, and this limo…wow. It’s…just
wow.”
Quinn chuckled. “Glad you like it. Listen, I just got back
from dinner with the guys. They’re hanging out at the bar now,
so I’ll meet you in the lobby and help you get settled in your
room.”
“I’m looking forward to meeting you, but you don’t need
to help me—”
“I do. There’s some things we need to discuss before I
introduce you to the guys, well, more specifically, Ross.”
Already sensing Quinn hadn’t divulged everything about
the big drummer’s past, my mind started whirling with dozens
of disturbing scenarios. Tamping them down, I reminded
myself that I was in New York via a verbal agreement. I still
hadn’t signed my name on the dotted line of Quinn’s contract.
If the skeletons in Ross’s closet were heinous or morally
reprehensible, I’d have no other choice but to return to Gaia
Garden with my tail between my legs.
Please don’t let it come to that.
“O-okay.”
“Great. I’ll see you shortly,” Quinn stated and ended the
call.
I glanced at my empty glass. Other than a couple sips of
boysenberry mead Daisy made back home, I didn’t drink, and
I’d never put alcohol on an empty stomach. But desperate
times called for desperate measures. Throwing caution to the
wind, I plucked the bottle of champagne from the vat of ice
and refilled my glass.
By the end of the night, I’d either be taking a grand
adventure and accompany Licks of Leather on their tour or
returning to Kentucky.
What am I doing?
“Yeah, yeah…saving the family,” I mumbled to myself.
Before I started grasping for the other elusive reason, I
shoved the task away, sipped more champagne, and turned my
mental energies on meeting the legendary Quinn MacKinnon.
When the limo pulled to a stop, the butterflies returned,
dipping and swooping in my belly. My future, the future of a
hundred and sixty others was resting on my shoulders. I
couldn’t screw this up. After downing the rest of my bubbly, I
set the glass in its holder, and drew in a deep, calming breath.
Gerry opened my door and extended his hand. Hoping he
didn’t notice the tremble of my fingers, I placed them in his
palm and stepped from the limo. As he retrieved my luggage
from the trunk, I rummaged through my purse, searching for
one of the three twenty-dollar bills Arlo had managed to coax
from the community for my trip. I only hoped the remaining
forty dollars would be enough to get back to LaGuardia if
things didn’t work out with Quinn.
Knowing that sending negative energy into the ether had
dire consequences, I shook all pessimistic thoughts away and
handed Gerry one of my coveted twenties.
He shook his head. “No, ma’am. Mr. MacKinnon has
generously taken care of my tip.”
The relief that flooded my system sent a pang of guilty
greed sluicing through me as well. But the goddesses were
undoubtedly sending a sign to hold on to the cash. With a
pensive nod, I tucked the bill away and drew strength from
Atalanta—warrior goddess no man could best—then strode
past the doorman and inside the majestic hotel.
I immediately spotted Quinn, sitting on a beige industrial
couch, staring intently at his cell phone. Even if the lobby
hadn’t been deserted, I would have recognized the man from
the shock of auburn hair and scruff adorning his sharp jawline.
He looked exactly like his online photos.
“Good evening,” a young, bubbly female desk clerk
greeted. “May I help you?”
Quinn jerked his head up. As he stood, he pinned me with
expressive green eyes and a wide, welcoming smile. “It’s a
pleasure to finally meet you in the flesh, Harmony.”
The Scottish lilt in his deep voice intrigued me.
With a reciprocating smile, I extended my hand. “The
pleasure is all mine, Mr. MacKinnon.”
“Please, call me Quinn.” He chuckled softly. “Pardon me
for staring. It’s just…your eyes. They’re as uniquely beautiful
in person as they are in your videos.”
It wasn’t the first time someone had remarked about my
bright blue eyes. Since I was a child, my father, Bodhi, had
told me the story of how Asteria, goddess of the stars, teamed
up with Isis, goddess of magic, and bestowed me with the
striking color, and the ability to see beyond flesh and bone to
perceive the good and bad in others’ hearts.
Quinn’s heart was good.
“Thank you.”
“My, my. Your southern accent is even sweeter.”
“I don’t have an accent…at least not in Kentucky.”
“Neither do I, lass,” he teased with a wink and a grin.
After thanking Gerry, Quinn gathered my suitcases and
began strolling toward the elevator. Instead of standing like a
statue in the middle of the lobby, I quickly followed the man.
“I took the liberty of checking you in and have your room
key in my pocket. And I hope you don’t mind, but I also
ordered you dinner,” he explained as I followed him inside the
mirrored elevator. “If you don’t like steak, we’ll call and
change your order when we get to your room.”
 Though I’d only eaten deer meat—thanks to the bow and
arrow abilities the hunters in our group possessed—I didn’t
think beef would taste much different.
“No. Steak is perfect. Thank you for ordering me dinner.
I’m starving.”
“I figured you might be.”
When the doors of the elevator slid open, I stepped onto
the thick carpet and followed him down a long hallway.
“Since this is your first trip to New York, I booked you a
suite with a terrace that overlooks Times Square.”
After sliding the key card into the slot, Quinn smiled and
pushed the door open. When I stepped across the threshold, I
swallowed down a gasp. I felt like I was floating on clouds in
a fairy tale. Turning in a slow circle, I took in every detail of
the elegant room. Overwhelmed was an understatement. The
place was stunning, from the inviting cream-colored sectional
adorned with fluffy burgundy pillows to the sparkling glass-
topped coffee table positioned in front of a massive flat-screen
television. On a bar with its own sink were colorful bottles of
liquor and shimmering crystal glasses.
Turning my attention to the wide patio doors, I saw flames
dancing in the wind from a tall, narrow firepit on the spacious
terrace. I wanted to fling the door open and curl up on the
inviting padded chaise next to the flickering flames.
“Would you like me to put your suitcases in the bedroom?”
Quinn asked, slicing through my stupor.
“Yes, thank you.”
As he turned and disappeared down the hall, I was almost
afraid to follow him…afraid that if the bedroom and bathroom
were equally lavish, I’d never want to leave. Compared to my
little Airstream trailer in the woods, this was paradise.
Taking a brave step forward, I trailed behind him, and as I
suspected, the other two rooms were equally mind-blowing. A
part of me wanted to ask him to leave so I could stand beneath
the numerous jets in the humongous shower, then wrap up in
the plush robe hanging beside the marble vanity, before
spending the whole night on the terrace drinking in the lights
and sounds of the city.
You’re here to do a job, a little voice in my head reminded.
“Do you want to unpack before we talk?” Quinn asked
with a knowing smile. Clearly, my astonishment was written
all over my face.
“It can wait.”
“Okay. Let’s move to the terrace. I’ll ask room service to
set up your dinner outside if that’s all right with you.”
All right? It would be fantastic. I smiled and gave him a
demure nod.
When we stepped onto the patio, I expected Quinn to tell
me more about my job. Instead, he started pointing out
landmarks and telling me the history of Times Square,
including where the ball dropped each New Year’s Eve. I
didn’t have the heart to tell him we didn’t have television back
home. Though I’d seen them before, in the tiny hotel rooms
Dad and I’d shared while searching for my mom.
After room service delivered my dinner, arranged it on the
table outside for me, and left, Quinn turned eerily quiet.
Wordlessly watching as I cut into my steak, he steepled his
fingers and tapped them to his lips.
I didn’t need to unfurl my inner empath to know
something weighed heavily on his mind. An aura of
foreboding clung to the air around him. If he’d changed his
mind about hiring me, the rippling consequences would
destroy Gaia Garden. For purely selfish reasons, I didn’t want
to leave without getting the chance to meet Ross. Mentally
lining up a litany of reasons I should stay, I lowered my
silverware, gathered my courage, and lifted my chin.
“I sense something is wrong.”
“We’ll discuss business when you’re through eating.”
His commanding tone made me bristle. I wasn’t used to
anyone telling me what to do. At home on the mountain, we
all worked together, equally, for the greater good. But I wasn’t
back home, and Quinn and I weren’t equals. He might very
well be my boss before the night was through. There was far
too much riding on the goals I needed to achieve for me to
blow it by acting like a petulant child.
“All right.” I plucked up my fork and bit the piece of steak
off the end.
As the smoky char and savory juices hit my tongue, all
thoughts of Quinn’s overbearing attitude and worries that he’d
changed his mind, vanished. A moan of sheer delight slid from
the back of my throat. The beef was delicious. It was buttery
and mild compared to the distinct flavor of venison.
While I devoured the succulent steak, roasted asparagus,
and creamy whipped potatoes and sipped my iced tea, Quinn
offered up brief bios of the band members.
I was grateful for the insight into their individual
personalities but shocked to learn that Ross and Syd were the
only ones who weren’t in a committed relationship.
“Sofia, Tori, and Mia are the best things to happen to Burk,
Darren, and Ozzy…far better than any platinum album or
Grammy,” Quinn said with a satisfied smile. “Did you
research Licks of Leather much before leaving Kentucky?”
“Not really. I searched up some photos of Ross.” Okay, so
I’d drooled over photos of him. Because, yeah. The man was
seriously panty-melting. “I did read an article about his past
drug addiction, but…”
“Rule number one,” Quinn began as I placed my napkin on
my plate and leaned back in my chair. “Do not believe a single
word that the tabloids print. They lie. And while some rock
stars live a life of wild parties, sex, and drugs, the guys of
Licks have outgrown the party stage. None of them do drugs.
And as far as their sex lives go? I don’t ask. It’s none of my
business.”
“Or mine.” I smiled.
“Exactly.”
“I’m curious… What made you choose me for this job?”
 “Because you don’t have a bunch of degrees and initials
behind your name. Because you have a fresh, pure, unjaded
view of life and nature.”
“You know where I live…what Gaia Garden is, right?”
“Yes. I did my homework on you.”
Clearly, he had expected me to have delved deeper into
Ross’s past. Though it was hard, I’d purposely resisted the
urge. I didn’t want anything influencing my perceptions once I
finally met the man face-to-face.
“Then you know I’m not exactly tailored for the rock star
world.”
“Another reason I chose you. You’re not star-struck or in
awe of the guys in the band.”
“That hardly qualifies me—”
“You also think outside the box. I need that…Ross needs
that. You’ll be able to achieve far more success with him than
I can.”
“What makes you say that?”
“I don’t know how to reach him.” Quinn’s scowl was
teemed with sorrow. “My job is promoting the band and the
talent they possess. And trust me. Those five men are some of
the most gifted musicians on the planet. I’m also responsible
for keeping their image clean, which is a hell of a lot harder
than any other aspect of my job.
“Unfortunately, a few weeks ago…right after the
Grammys, it was brought to my attention that Ross’s name
was popping up in the tabloids and on social media. Ava, my
wife and company VP, has been working hard to put a halt to
some of the rumblings while I’ve kept Ross and the others
sequestered in Texas, working on a new album. I’ve been in
this business long enough to know it won’t be long before one
of the big vultures plucks up one of those obscure bread
crumbs and turns Ross’s life into a living hell.”
“What are the rumors about?”
 “We attended several parties after the Grammys. Ozzy and
Ross got into a physical altercation at one with a guy who was
trying to take certain liberties with Mia. It was hot news for a
hot minute. But while the tabloids were focused on the brawl,
they missed the near-death drug overdose at one of the parties
we’d been to earlier that night. A party where drug use was
plentiful and out in the open. Where tons of guests were
getting high as kites.
“It wasn’t the kind of party the guys like to attend. We
didn’t stay long, but as we were leaving, some freelance hack
snapped a photo of Ross coming out of the hotel. When news
broke about the overdose, rumors of Ross using again started
popping up here and there. Now that their tour is about to start,
we will be launching a huge publicity push. I fear the vultures
are going to find that bread crumb. It’s just the ammo they
need to try and take him down or give the fans serious reasons
to question his sobriety. He’s worked too long and too hard for
those pricks to start trying to chip away at his success.”
“So, Ross didn’t relapse at that party?”
“No. He wasn’t even in the room with the drugs. He was
sitting out by the pool, looking at the sky. I need you to be
with him on the tour so if or when the shit hits the fan, he
doesn’t try to lock everything down inside him. He has a
propensity for doing that ever since…”
“Ever since what?” I pressed after Quinn’s words trailed
off.
“That’s another reason you’re here. To persuade him to
unlock the past, face his ghosts, and put them to rest once and
for all.”
“You’re talking about cocaine, right?”
“No. I’m talking about the reason he turned to cocaine.”
“And the reason is…?”
“Your job to find out. I’ll warn you now. Ross isn’t going
to make this easy on you. He’ll fight you every step of the
way. Do whatever you have to, bribe him, trick him, hell, sleep
with him if—”
 “What? I am not a prostitute,” I bit out as anger spiked.
“I-I’m sorry, I know that. You’re a sweet, wholesome
young woman. I wasn’t trying to insult you, simply stress the
importance of opening him up and bringing back our old
Ross.”
“So basically, you want me to convince a man who doesn’t
want to dissect his past…to dissect his past.”
“Yeah.” Quinn exhaled heavily.
Mercy. This was getting more complex by the second.
“You took down your blog before you came here, correct?”
“Yes, though I don’t know why you insisted I needed to do
it.”
“Because I don’t want the press tracking you down. I don’t
want them revealing that you’re Ross’s emotional support
person.”
“Why not?”
“Because I need you to work your magic with Ross
without him knowing what you do.”
“How on earth am I supposed to help him if I can’t tell him
why I’m here?”
“Because you’ll be posing as his girlfriend.”
 CHAPTER THREE

Ross

D ragged from a sound sleep by the blaring foghorn alarm

on my phone, I bit out a curse, snagged the device off
the nightstand, and silenced the annoying thing. I collapsed
onto the mattress as the lure of rolling over to catch more z’s
tugged my brain. Instead, I stretched and yawned like a bear
out of hibernation, rolled out of bed, and hit the head.
After tugging on a pair of nylon shorts, I opened the trunk
of weights I hauled with me on every tour, spread out my mat,
and grabbed some barbells to warm up. Fifteen minutes later, I
switched to the heavier rubber-gripped circular weights and
lifted them until my muscles screamed and endorphins sailed.
After wiping the sweat from my face, I downed a protein
drink, took a hot shower, then dressed and strolled to the living
room of my suite. When I spied the carafe of coffee that I’d
ordered from room service last night, sitting on the glass-
topped table in front of the couch, a grateful hum rolled from
my throat.
I filled a mug to the rim and took a big sip, moaning in
gratification as the caffeine hit my system. Two gulps later, I
refilled the cup before swiping open the calendar app on my
phone. When the reminder that it was my turn to post
something on the band’s social media page popped up, I
snarled a curse and tossed the device down beside me.
 Quinn MacKinnon hired people to put shit up on our page,
but after a spark of genius hit him, he’d decided that at the
start of every tour, each of us should take a turn posting
something. Because it was more personal.
“Shit. I need more coffee for this,” I groused out loud.
After draining and refilling the cup again, I snatched up
my phone and launched the social media app. Syd’s stunning
photo of me sleeping had been altered, stamped with big bold
letters that read: IS ROSS WALKER DEAD?
“What the fuck?”
Brows slashed in confusion, I scrolled through the fan
page. There were thousands of posts from people mourning
my death.
“You gotta be shittin’ me. Christ, people. I fell asleep.
What the actual fuck?”
Through my spiking anger, common sense told me the
rumors had originated from someplace else. And I knew just
where to look. Launching the website for Celebrity Access—
the sleeziest tabloid on earth—I bit out a curse. On their home
page was the same photo Syd had posted, but the
accompanying headline had me clenching my jaw so tight my
teeth nearly cracked.
After numerous suicide attempts, Ross Walker is presumed
DEAD!
“You cock-sucking, lying motherfuckers…I’m not dead.
I’m right the fuck here,” I barked at my phone.
Blood pressure spiking, I scanned the article to see if I
could determine how the trash-spewing bastards could have
twisted Syd’s photo into something so idiotic and slanderous.
It’s reported that Ross Walker, bad-boy drummer of famed
rock group Licks of Leather, was so despondent over the recent
couplings of his bandmates and fears the group might be
breaking up that he fell into a chasm of depression.
“What the hell are you guys smoking?” A brittle laugh tore
off my lips.
 Sources close to the drummer say Walker’s past cocaine
addiction left him with alexithymia disorder, coupled with his
anti-social behavior, and he’d feared that he’d been unable to
love and would thus spend his life alone. Sources also report
that Jennings, Ash, Page, and Wilson had been maintaining a
twenty-four-seven suicide vigil in an attempt to keep Walker
alive. Sadly, they failed and all fear that Walker is DEAD.
“Sources, my ass. Your sources are a couple of monkeys
playing with a Magic 8 Ball.”
Unable to stomach the lies, I closed the app and pinched
the bridge of my nose to stave off the headache climbing my
skull. I counted to ten, then reached for more coffee when my
attention was snagged by a bottle of Jack at the bar. Yeah, I
needed something stronger than caffeine, but it was only eight
o’clock in the morning.
“Yeah, but it’s five thirty in Nepal,” I mumbled bitterly.
As I stood to pour a strong one, my cell phone pinged. I
reached for the device, hoping a reporter hadn’t managed to
get my number. If so, I’d need a new phone, because this one
would be embedded in the drywall across the fucking room.
My rage ebbed slightly when I glanced at the text from Angie,
asking if I was all right. Sinking back onto the couch, I shook
my head. Instead of texting her back, I punched in her number.
“Oh, thank god. You’re alive,” she exhaled in relief.
“And ready to kick some tabloid ass. Yes, I am.”
“I knew in my gut, but I had to make sure.”
“Why the fuck are you reading that trash anyway? You
know better.”
“I do, but I turned on the television while folding clothes
and—”
“You did laundry before I left yesterday. What are you
washing now?”
“Your sheets.”
Alarm bells began clanging in my head. Angie never
washed the sheets until I’d been gone for a week. She liked
sleeping in my bed and smelling my scent. Coupled with the
fact that she’d gone totally silent on me, it made the ominous
gonging grow even louder.
I’m not going to be here forever…
The words she’d uttered yesterday morning made my
stomach twist. She’d been trying to tell me something, but I
hadn’t wanted to listen. I was listening now…to a silence that
said way too much.
“What’s his name?” Forcing the question off my tongue, I
scrubbed a hand over my head and struggled to tamp down my
panic.
“Ross…”
“What’s his name?” I barked.
“Thomas Iverson.”
I squeezed my eyes shut as the bottom of my world fell out
from under me.
“What does he do?”
“He’s an investment banker.”
He can take care of her.
“How old is he?”
“Fifty-three.”
He can take her to dinner, dancing, and the movies without
judgmental stares.
“Have you fucked him?”
“No,” she bit out tersely.
But she’s planning on it…soon.
“Don’t fuck him in my bed.”
Why the hell did I say that?
“That’s not why I’m washing your sheets, Ross.”
“I know.” She’d washed them to symbolically free herself
from my ghost.
 “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—”
“No. Don’t you dare apologize. Understood?” I growled.
“I meant it when I said it’s time you started living again.
Not because of me and Thomas…but for you. You deserve
happ—”
“Does Thomas make you happy?” I purposely cut her off. I
was the last bastard who deserved any fragments of joy.
“So far. It’s still new.”
“How long?”
“A couple of months.”
“Do you plan to be there when I get back?”
Why am I being such a selfish asshole? Angie deserves
much more than this…than me.
“Of course.”
“If you’re with him when I come home, I don’t expect you
to fuck me anymore.”
“I know. That’s why it’s so important for you to learn how
to—”
“Sorry, babe. I gotta go. I’m meeting Quinn and the guys
in the restaurant for breakfast and I’m late. We’ll talk again
soon.”
“Ross.”
“You go live and have fun. I’m going to be just fine.” Liar.
“You will, because I’ll always be in your corner, cheering
you on, no matter what.”
“Thanks, Ang. You’re amazing. I’ll touch base with you in
a couple days.”
I ended the call completely gutted. A part of me felt as if
Angie had just been plucked up by a rescue boat, leaving me
alone on my isolated island.
I let out an angry growl. Self-pity wasn’t my style.
 Besides, I couldn’t fault her for wanting more from life
than coexisting with a fucked-up asshole like me. She was a
warm, caring, giving woman who deserved a shit-ton of
happiness. If push came to shove, there was always Club
Genesis. Mika LeBrache would happily find me a switch
who’d sate my sexual needs…with her fist. It’d be a miracle to
find one willing to fuck me just for the sake of a fuck. But that
was a worry for another day. Right now, sex was the last thing
I needed or wanted to deal with.
Shoving my selfish disappointment down with the debris
of regret, shame, and guilt I didn’t have the balls to dissect or
compartmentalize, I headed downstairs to join the others for
breakfast.
Darren was already seated at the big round table, scowling
at his cell phone when I arrived. As I pulled out a chair and sat
down beside him, he quickly closed the link to our fan page.
“Do me a favor. Post something for me. Tell those fucking
idiots I’m still alive. I’ve read all I can stomach about that
bullshit.”
“You saw it then. I swear, it’s the craziest shit the tabloids
have come up with in a long time.”
“They’re really reaching. The Kardashians must be on
vacation or something. Fuck if I know.”
“What do you want me to post for you, man?”
“As long as you don’t say I’m on life support, I don’t give
a fuck.”
“Good thing you’re not asking Syd.”
“He’s the fucknut who started all this.”
“I know, but the crazy bastard would give the name and
address of a mortuary just to fuck with them even more.”
“Then I’d have to kill him.”
“Which would piss Quinn and the rest of the guys off.
Yeah, it’s better if I post for you, man.”
 I nodded, both to Darren and the waitress, who shoved her
double Ds in my face and filled my coffee cup.
“If I’d known I’d be serving the hottest men in rock and
roll, I would have worn something a little sexier.” She flashed
a flirtatious smile.
Why? Do you think I’d fuck you just ’cause you poured me
a cup of coffee? You don’t know shit about me, sweetheart.
I was sick of women wanting to claim a sexual encounter
like it was a fucking trophy they could set on their mantel.
Ignoring the woman, I took a sip of coffee. Of course, ever-
polite Darren told her she looked fine.
“Don’t go anywhere with that coffee, sweet thing,” Syd
called as he rushed toward the table. “Daddy needs stamina
juice.”
“You’re on my shit list, fucker,” I snarled.
“What else is new?” He grinned, then started swapping
sexual innuendos with the waitress as Darren’s cell phone
chimed.
The love-mush rolling off the guitar player’s tongue told
me he was talking to his woman, Tori. Blocking him and Syd
out, I buried my nose in my menu.
When the waitress finally left, I lifted my head and glared
at Syd. “Thanks for shoving me under an avalanche of shit,
asshole.”
“What? It’s not my fault they think you’re dead.”
“You could have mentioned that I was sleeping.”
“Where’s the fun in that?” Syd smirked.
“Paybacks are a bitch, motherfucker. And I will pay your
ass back.”
“Yeah, yeah. Hey, did either of you eunuchs bother to
notice the titties on our waitress?” Syd sighed. “I would love
to get my hands on them. They were all but spilling out of her
knocker-blocker.”
“Knocker-blocker?” I drawled. “How old are you?”
 Before Syd could answer, Burk and Sofia strolled to the
table, hand in hand, smiling and laughing like the disgustingly
happy couple they were. As if their PDA wasn’t enough to
obliterate my appetite, Ozzy and Mia, wearing a fresh-fucked
glow, and clinging to each other as if they’d been superglued
at the hip, arrived next and sat down.
After jerking a nod at the two couples, I focused on the
menu again.
Beside me, Darren lifted his head and tensed. Following
his line of sight, I saw Quinn escorting the most beautiful,
fresh-faced woman I’d ever seen in our direction. I actually
blinked twice to make sure the stunning vixen wasn’t a
mirage.
She wasn’t.
Nearly choking on the sip of coffee in my mouth, I set my
mug down so I wouldn’t crush it like the air in my lungs that
had suddenly seized.
My heart rate quadrupled.
Desire roared to life inside me, wildly tugging on its chain.
Down, boy, she’s not for us, I mentally growled at the
beast.
Struggling to fill my lungs again, I told myself he’d simply
found a fan in the hotel who wanted some autographs. But
when I saw Quinn’s hand poised at the small of her back—in
an all-too-familiar fashion—that notion vanished, instantly
replaced by an irrational wave of jealousy.
Suffocating the absurd snarl rising from my chest, I
clenched my jaw and memorized each luscious inch of the
innocent beauty he was ushering our way.
Her wheat-colored hair, spilling down narrow, sun-kissed
shoulders, swayed over the generous swells of her breasts with
every step she took. A bashful smile—a genuine one like I
hadn’t seen in decades—tugged her pink, pouty lips that were
all but begging to be bruised and devoured beneath my hungry
kisses.
 What the fuck am I thinking? No. Hell no!
When she lifted her dark lashes and locked her big ocean-
blue eyes on me, I felt as if I’d been kicked in the balls. As if
that wasn’t bad enough, my cock began lengthening,
thickening, and pulsing. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d
gotten hard simply by looking at a woman.
Lurid images filled my brain. Images of peeling off the
white tank hugging her full, natural breasts—yeah, they were
real; I could spot implants from forty feet—the faded blue
jeans cradling her lush hips and slender legs, before dragging
her under me.
The ball-churning beauty made more than my dick ache.
Every cell in my body was screaming to glide my hands,
mouth, and tongue all over her. I ached to defile her a million
kinky ways and seize every ounce of her ethereal innocence.
Defiling her would unequivocally destroy her, asshole.
That sobering reality sent guilt spiking, sweeping my
erotic visuals out to sea.
“Hey, guys,” Quinn greeted. “Sorry we’re late. I stopped
by Harmony’s room to escort her to meet you, but we got
caught up in conversation.”
Well, well…the tempting beauty was staying at the hotel.
Too bad that nugget of info wasn’t going to do me a damn
bit of good.
I couldn’t touch this girl.
Couldn’t teach her hours of sexual splendor until she
screamed my name so loud and long her voice turned to a
whisper.
Couldn’t bask in the heat of her soft, slick tunnel clamping
down around my cock or coax so many orgasms she couldn’t
walk right for a month.
Acknowledging all the things I couldn’t do to her didn’t
lessen my ache to violate her a million different ways. Fuck, it
was insane and dangerous for me to even look at the alluring
beauty. And torturing myself like this was full-on masochistic.
 “Does Ava know you’re stepping out on her?” Syd cast an
accusatory glare at Quinn. “I hope she kicks your ass bloody
when she finds out this sweet thing’s been warming your bed.”
Quinn scowled. “I’m not sleeping with anyone but Ava,
asshole. This is Harmony Sharp. She’s going to be joining the
tour.”
Joining the tour? Joining our tour?
“Doing what?” Ozzy asked, voicing the same question
slashing my brain.
Darren whipped his head Sofia’s way. “You’re not
throwing in the towel as den mother, are you?”
“Not hardly. Nobody on the planet can keep your asses in
line but me,” she replied with a sassy smirk.
“I’ll explain everything over breakfast,” Quinn assured.
Holding out the chair beside me, he waited until Harmony
eased onto the padded surface before flashing me a cocky grin.
What the fuck are you up to, you sneaky, meddling
bastard?
As Harmony plucked the napkin off her plate and draped it
across her lap, she turned to me with a delicate smile. Her
intoxicating scent of lilac, honeysuckle, and sunshine crashed
my senses. It took all the self-control I possessed not to lean
down and drag my tongue along the slender slope of her
shoulder, up her neck, and settle in behind her ear to see if she
tasted as good as she smelled.
“Hi,” she whispered in a soft, shy voice.
My cock lurched against my zipper and my mouth began
to water. I was suddenly ravenous. Not for anything on the
menu but to gorge on the pretty girl’s innocent flesh and
screams of ecstasy.
Fuck me. This cannot be happening.
Unfortunately, it was. Biting back a curse, I glanced at my
lap to make sure my napkin was covering my aching erection
and simply issued her a curt nod.
 “Before we begin, why don’t you all introduce yourselves
to Harmony.” Quinn smiled. “I’ve briefly given her your bios,
but it would be helpful if she could put faces with names.”
“Helpful for what?” I bit out.
“To get to know you all, of course.”
The calculated smile curling the corners of Quinn’s mouth
sent chills of suspicion climbing my spine. I slid a glance to
my right to see Darren’s phone sitting on the table. He’d
chosen a photo of Tori as his screen saver. Beside him, Ozzy’s
fingers were tangled together with Mia’s. As I paused at Syd,
luridly ogling Harmony—trying to ignore the flare of jealousy
kicking up inside me—I studied Burk’s arm possessively
draped over the back of Sofia’s chair.
Letting my sidelong stare linger on Harmony, I pondered
Quinn’s propensity for matchmaking. When I leveled him with
a fierce glare, he replied with a nonchalant shrug.
A blast of white-hot fury erupted inside me.
“Whatever shit you’re cooking up, the answer is no. Hell
no,” I barked.
“Calm down, Ross.” Quinn held up his hands as if to
placate me.
“No, I’m not going to calm down, and I’m not going to let
you play me like you did them,” I said, nodding toward Burk
and Ozzy.
“I’m not trying to play you, Ross,” Quinn assured, waving
off the waitress heading toward our table. “I’m trying to save
you from the tabloids.”
“Give me a break. Those cocksuckers print shit about us
all the time. You think I care what lies they’re spreading? I
don’t. I don’t give a fat fuck!” I barked, slamming my fist on
the table.
Harmony jolted and sucked in a sharp gasp.
Son of a bitch. I’ve already scared her and haven’t even
spoken to her yet.
 She was skittish and shy. Whatever Quinn had hired her
for was never going to work. Not in this eat-you-up-and-spit-
you-out industry.
Hired her. He’d fucking hired her. Hell yes! That was my
get-out-of-jail-free card.
Swiveling in my seat, I turned toward Harmony. Lifting
her thick lashes, Harmony’s sliver-blue eyes, teeming with
kindness and trust, all but eviscerated me. Shit, I didn’t know
those two things existed anymore.
Are you sure you want to do this? the voice in my head
cautioned.
Yes. No. Maybe.
Sure, I would love the luxury of properly meeting her,
talking to her, and maybe even getting to know her a little, but
I had to put an end to Quinn’s insanity. Now. Because just
looking at her was a risk I couldn’t afford.
“Whatever Quinn is paying you, I’ll double it. All you
have to do is stand up and walk away.”
Her unique blue eyes and flawless face clouded in
sympathy. She lifted her hand and gently placed it over mine,
sending a surge of electricity streaking up my arm. I jerked it
out from under her fingers, but the burn still lingered, sinking
deep and wending through my system.
Gasping, Harmony blinked down at her palm as if she’d
felt the surge, too. And when she turned her startled stare my
way, I was drowning in her pools shimmering with virtue.
“Wow. That’s…never happened before,” she murmured,
then blanched as if she hadn’t meant to say the words out loud.
Harmony drew in a deep breath, causing her breasts to lift and
taunt me. Then she parted her lips and glided her wet pink
tongue over the plump top bow. “I’m sorry, I can’t do that.
I’ve already signed a contract with Quinn.”
Fuck. I’m too late.
“To do what?”
She darted a nervous glance at our manager.
 “I know you don’t want to hear this,” Quinn began. “But
you have an image problem.”
“No shit,” I scoffed.
“It’s not doing you any favors. Sadly, it’s not doing any for
the band, either. The press and fans have pegged you the bad
boy.”
“Which I’m fine with, by the way.”
“I’m not. We need to start redeeming your persona now.”
“We don’t have to do shit. My persona hasn’t affected
concert or record sales, so butt the fuck out of my life.”
“I’m afraid I can’t. We don’t have the luxury of waiting.
We”—he glanced at Harmony—“have to improve the public’s
opinion of you, and get the tabloids off your back now.”
“So, you hired her to fix the public’s opinion of me?” I
chortled dryly. “And just how is this shy, timid woman
supposed to do that?”
“By posing as your girlfriend for the duration of the tour.”
Quinn was not only out of his fucking mind but had just
crossed a line he couldn’t erase. Glancing down at the wide-
eyed beauty beside me, I held her anxious gaze for several
long seconds as a roiling, blistering rage consumed every cell
in my body.
“I’m not asking you to fall in love with her, just make the
press believe she’s the best thing in your life since sliced
bread.”
Clenching my jaw and fists in tandem, I stood and
skimmed a stare over the faces of my shocked and worried
band brothers. A melancholy pang stabbed deep. We’d been
together, through thick and thin, for over thirteen bad, good,
and glorious years. They were family…the only family that
claimed my heart. It killed me to think that my fucked-up life
and shitty attitude might drag them into the cesspool with me.
I couldn’t do that to them.
But Quinn was asking the impossible. I couldn’t play a
part in his farce, either. Not with her. I’d either lose my
fucking mind or do something that would asphyxiate me with
even more guilt and regret.
“I love you all like brothers. Thanks for putting up with me
and all my shit.”
Burk blanched. Fear and uncertainty stamped his face as
he scooted out his chair and stood. “We love you, too, man. Sit
down. We’ll work this out.”
“No can do, brother.” I shook my head, then leveled my
fury where it belonged, at Quinn, and tossed my napkin on the
table.
I wanted to grab him by the throat and snap his meddling,
foolish head off. Instead, I simply lifted my chin and sent him
a nasty smile.
“Consider my image problem solved. I quit.”
Ignoring the collective gasps, curses, and pleas erupting
around the table, I turned and snagged the ball cap off Ozzy’s
head, shoved my sunglasses on, and stormed toward the lobby.
 CHAPTER FOUR

Harmony

M outh gaping, I sat frozen in my chair as Ross thundered

away. The only thing that stole my attention from
homing in on his sturdy legs wrapped in soft, faded denim was
his lingering fury singeing my skin.
Swamped with fear and sadness pelting me from all
directions, I couldn’t shield myself from the other’s emotions
to process mine first. I tried to erase the way Ross’s sensual
lips moved with each angry word flying off his tongue. But I
was still trying to compartmentalize the rush of emotions he’d
conjured when our gazes had locked for the first time.
His dark eyes, framed in long lashes, had looked right
through me as if I were a ghost, while it afforded me the
opportunity to study his massive form. Sitting beside him, I’d
started at his bald head before dragging my gaze to the outline
of his sharp nose and dark stubble covering his jaw. His thick
neck and wide, defined muscled shoulders, biceps and
forearms nearly made me drool. And his hands, lordy, his
long, thick fingers and broad palms made me weak in the
knees.
Everyone at the table was pleading for Ross to come back,
but he didn’t even pause. He simply continued taking long,
angry strides toward the exit.
He’s quitting because of me.
 Had agreeing to play a part in Quinn’s deception pissed off
the goddesses this much? Probably. The din of furious and
shocked voices around the table grew louder as Burk bolted
from the table and raced after Ross.
I sent Quinn a pleading stare. “I think you need to
reconsider your plan.”
“No,” he answered firmly.
“You set him up, didn’t you?” Sofia railed as she stood and
tossed her napkin on the table. “When are you going to stop
fucking with people’s lives?”
“I’m not setting him up. I’m trying to get the bullseye off
his back,” Quinn called to the woman now racing after Burk.
“Seriously, guys. Ross will come around after he cools down.
He’s not going to quit. He’s only bluffing because he’s
pissed.”
“Oh, yeah? When has Ross ever bluffed about anything?”
Darren bit out with a snarl.
As Quinn tried to calm the masses, I watched Burk grab
Ross’s arm. The drummer spun on him with an angry scowl
and wrenched free.
“Back off. I don’t want to hurt you, man,” Ross barked.
Burk raised his hands in surrender, then said something I
couldn’t hear. Ross snarled and shoved the lead singer away.
Worry and defeat stamped Burk’s face. He cinched an arm
around Sofia’s waist and tugged her to his side as Ross
stormed into the lobby.
“Quinn! Stop him,” I begged.
“Relax. Ross knows I’m only trying to—”
“No. He doesn’t. He thinks he’s under attack.” I jumped
from my chair, raced past Burk and Sofia and out of the
restaurant.
When I reached the lobby, I caught sight of Ross as he
stepped out onto the sidewalk and pulled Ozzy’s ball cap over
his head. Determined to catch up with him and convince him
not to quit the band, I jogged out the door and was instantly
jostled and bumped by the mass of people vying for their own
piece of pavement.
“Excuse me. Pardon me,” I murmured.
Dismissing the odd expressions being flung at me, I
weaved my way through the crowd. Ross was half a block
away and quickly widening the gap between us.
“Ross. Wait,” I yelled. “Hold up.”
He wasn’t slowing down. Either he couldn’t hear he or he
was completely ignoring me. Frantically pressing through the
unending stream of humanity, I screamed his name louder.
Suddenly, an arm snaked around my waist and I was
unceremoniously dragged toward a beige stone building.
Yelping in shock and fear, I tried to wriggle free. But the man
dressed in the dark pinstripe suit was too strong.
“Let go of me,” I yelled.
Panic pulsing thick in my veins, I wildly kicked his shins
and punched his shoulders.
“Shhh.” He flashed an ugly, lurid grin, then yanked my
arms above my head and pinned them in one meaty fist against
the unforgiving stone.
My heart was pounding like a jackhammer, and the air in
my lungs seized.
“Since it doesn’t look like Ross is around, I’ll gladly take
his place and give you what you need, sweet thing.”
He licked his lips and thrust his hips, grinding his erection
against me.
Panic spiked higher. I continued screaming for help while
kicking and thrashing. The hard stone bit into my shoulder
blades as I pressed myself against the building and tried to
knee him in the balls. But his strong body held me in place.
Like acid, terror sped through my veins while I begged the
people on the sidewalk to help me. To my dismay, they didn’t
even look at me. It was as if someone being forcibly assaulted
under their noses was an everyday occurrence.
 “Help! Please, someone…anyone… Help me!” I screamed
at the top of my lungs.
“Shut up, cunt. I’m not going to hurt you. I just want a
taste.”
He leaned in toward my mouth.
His wet breath wafted over my face.
Panic surged and my stomach pitched.
Bile burned the back of my throat.
Jerking my head to the side, I pinched my eyes shut.
As he cupped my breast and squeezed, I screamed out a
long, petrified sob.
A feral roar pierced the cacophony of blood thumping in
my ears, and a split second later, the wretched man let out a
strangled cry and released me.
I’m free. He let me go.
Blinking my eyes open, I found Ross gripping the man by
the throat. As he lifted the man off the ground, the big
drummer’s biceps bulged and rippled. His powerful legs,
parted and planted in place, flexed. Nostrils flaring, he pulled
the stunned man in close to his snarling face.
“You don’t get to touch her,” he growled, then tossed the
creep like a rag doll, onto the hood of a taxi parked at the curb.
Relief flooded my veins as the guy landed with a heavy
thud and a guttural cry.
Wearing his command like a well-tailored suit, Ross
clutched my hand—sending electricity humming up my arm—
before tugging me toward the hotel.
The crushing combination of fury and fear rolling off him
melded with my own terror and sent a cluster of quakes
shuddering through me.
I hadn’t even stopped trembling when a barrage of what-ifs
began pelting my brain.
What if Ross hadn’t heard my screams?
 What if he had decided not to turn around?
What would that horrible man have done to me?
The last question sent gruesome, violent visuals whipping
through me.
Suddenly, I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t keep up with Ross’s
long, powerful strides.
Tugging on his wide, calloused hand, I dug my heels into
the concrete and desperately panted, “Stop!”
Spinning to face me, his mouth was pressed in a tight,
angry line. His brows were slashed in a fierce frown. “What?”
“Can you slow down…please?” I gasped. “My legs aren’t
as long as yours.”
Starting at my toes, he dragged a stare—that felt like the
rough stroke of his big hands—up my body. The next shiver
that assaulted me had nothing to do with fear or being attacked
or what might have happened if… No, the heightened
awareness skating through me was because of Ross…all Ross.
Though he was massive, intimidating, and downright scary
when he tossed that creep onto the cab, Ross was also
ruggedly gorgeous. His physical beauty, masculine smell, and
the commanding power in his presence unleashed a primal,
feminine ache within me. The man overwhelmed me in every
way. So much so that I wanted to run to…and from him all at
once.
Exhaling a heavy sigh, he dropped his chin. His expression
had softened, and there was now a ravenous need in his eyes
that bored through me. No man had ever looked at me that
way before. My skin tingled and my stomach twisted. Not
from fear but from desire.
“Yeah, sure. Are you all right?”
If fighting the urge to wrap my arms around his chiseled
muscles and soak his dark tee in my tears while I bled the fear
and adrenaline from my system was all right, then yeah, I was
fine. And if fighting the desire to drag my tongue over every
inch of his flesh was all right, I was doubly fine.
 Instead of giving in to my cravings, I simply nodded.
“Thank you for…rescuing me.”
“I didn’t. I just pulled that sorry sack of shit off you.”
Clearly, Ross didn’t have a hero complex. In fact, he’d just
shown a surprisingly humble side of himself. It didn’t take any
of my special abilities to grasp the fact that Ross possessed far
more emotions than he chose to share. Or that beneath his
intimidating exterior was the heart of a gentle giant. I mentally
started compiling these insights in two categories—fact and
persona.
Still clutching my hand, he started walking again, this time
in a slower pace that allowed me to stay in step beside him.
“What about you? You’re not doing all right and it’s my
fault.”
“No, it’s Quinn’s. He likes to meddle in things…personal
things…things he has no business fucking with.”
“In his defense, he’s only trying to help you.”
“I didn’t ask for his help.”
“I get the feeling you never ask, even when you need it.”
“You don’t know anything about me, princess.”
But I did. A few things he probably wouldn’t like or want
to hear.
“I know you don’t really want to quit the band.” He didn’t
refute my claim, merely sent me a sidelong glare. “Look, I’m
not thrilled with this situation, either. Pretending to be
something I’m not doesn’t give me the warm fuzzies. But if I
can help the tabloids focus their attention on someone other
than you, it’s well worth it.”
“Only because you and Quinn assume that I give a shit
what those vultures print or say. I don’t.”
“What about Burk, Darren, Ozzy, and Syd? I’m sure
they’d rather not have your fans thinking they’re on suicide
watch instead of you guys working on a new album for their
listening pleasure.”
 As we reached the hotel, he turned and faced me. “Clearly,
you’ve graduated from the Quinn MacKinnon Academy of
Guilt and Manipulation. Tell me, were you valedictorian?”
His accusation stung, but I let it slide off me. Ross was
simply lashing out. Clearly, it was too soon to teach him the
difference between toxic anger and healing anger, but I had to
start drawing my boundaries to keep my chi in healthy
alignment.
“Why did you automatically assume I was trying to send
you on a guilt—”
“Fuck. Me. You’re a shrink, aren’t you?” he spat, releasing
my hand. His touch still lingered, humming in my palm and
pulsing in my veins. “I don’t believe this. Quinn hired me a
god—”
“I am not a shrink. I’m simply asking what you want out of
life.”
A humorless scoff rolled off his lips. “Princess, the life I
want doesn’t exist.”
“Why not?”
“Doesn’t matter.” Yes, it does. “I meant what I said at
breakfast. I’ll pay you double…no, triple, if you’ll just go
away and leave me alone.”
Though his offer was generous, I wasn’t the least bit
tempted.
After spending these precious minutes alone with Ross, I
finally realized I did know what I was doing. The something
more that had been floating on the fringes of my psyche was
now crystal clear.
Ross needed light and love to replace the inky shadows in
his soul, but he needed peace and forgiveness far more. I
didn’t know why his barriers were so thick and strong. I hadn’t
been able to read him fully yet. But I couldn’t in good
conscience leave him wallowing in darkness the rest of his
life. Because I’d never met a living soul that needed saving
more than Ross Walker.
 “I can’t. I signed—”
“Yeah, yeah, a contract. I know. But contracts are made to
be broken.”
“Maybe for others, but I don’t break promises.”
“Of course you don’t,” he groused. “Tell me something. If
you’re so damn altruistic, why did you agree to play a part in
Quinn’s little game?”
“I agreed, because”—you need my help—“it was the right
thing to do.”
He scrubbed a hand over his face and scoffed dryly. “What
part of this planet are you from?”
“Kentucky.”
Ross leaned down until his alluring mouth was nearly
touching mine. The hint of coffee on his breath was muted by
the scent of his sharp, woody men’s cologne that made my
mouth water and my nipples grow hard.
“I’ll tell you the right thing to do…go upstairs, pack your
bags, and put your sexy little ass on a plane back to
Kentucky.”
His low, guttural growl ignited a needy throb between my
legs.
Does he really think my ass is sexy?
Focus.
I was trying, but with his irresistible lips close enough for
me to kiss and his masculine scent wrapping me in a blanket
of arousal, I couldn’t think, let alone string a coherent sentence
together.
“Thank fuck you’re back. We’ve been worried shitless,
bro,” Burk barked as he grabbed Ross in a brief man hug and
clapped him on the back. “Be as pissed at Quinn as you want,
but you can’t quit. You’re family, fucker. Deal with it. Besides,
you wouldn’t let me quit when I wanted to, remember?”
“I do, but this is different.”
 “Bullshit. Come on, the guys are waiting for us up in my
suite. Let’s talk this shit out. All right?”
Ross gave him a begrudging nod, then pinned me with a
stern glare. “Go inside the hotel and stay there. It’s not safe for
you to be out here alone.”
I was tempted to remind him that, A, I wasn’t a dog he
could order around, and B, I wouldn’t have been strolling the
streets of New York alone if he hadn’t stormed out of the
hotel. Instead, I kept my mouth shut and prayed Burk and the
others could convince Ross to stay.
As the two men turned and walked toward the elevator, I
stilled and quietly began meditating. I knew everything in the
universe happened by design, but I didn’t have a clue why
Ross’s path had crossed mine. Until the powers that be decided
to reveal the answers to my questions, I had to put my faith in
the sun, moon, and the stars. Had to keep an open heart and
mind and remember that kindness and compassion were gifts
that could only be reaped after they’d been sewn.
While he might not know it or want to admit it, Ross
possessed immense kindness and compassion. I’d seen it…felt
it. Even if I couldn’t yet tap into the life-altering trauma that
had buried his benevolence under an avalanche of rubble, I
would make it my mission to uncover the source of his
sadness. Well, providing he changed his mind and stayed with
the band.
“Harmony,” Quinn called from across the lobby, dragging
me from my thoughts. “Thank god you’re back. Did you find
Ross?”
“Yes.”
Quinn darted a glance around the room. “Where is he?”
“Upstairs with Burk and the others.”
“You’re good.”
“Excuse me?”
“You convinced Ross to come back to the hotel. I’m
impressed.”
 “No. I didn’t. He escorted me here after some lunatic
attacked me, and—”
“Attacked you?” Quinn blanched. “Are you all right? Did
he hurt you?”
I explained what happened, and though I was still a bit
spooked by the whole ordeal, I assured him that I was fine.
“Did you and Ross talk after that?”
“Not much.”
“I told you last night that he was going to fight you tooth
and nail. But I’m sure you’ll find a—”
“If he quits, there will be no fighting.”
“He’s not going to quit. Burk and the others won’t let
him.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“Come. Let’s head back to the restaurant and get you
something to eat.”
I held my tongue until we sat down at the same, now
empty, table. Placing my napkin in my lap, I glanced at Ross’s
partially filled coffee cup and drew in a fearless breath. “I’m
not sure lying to Ross is such a good idea. He already asked if
I was a shrink. It won’t be long before he figures out that I’m
more than a fake girlfriend.”
“So, you did talk to him.”
“Surface stuff. Nothing deep to explain why he’s so closed
off.” Sympathy skipped over Quinn’s face and a heavy weight
of sorrow rolled off him. “You know why, don’t you?”
He remained silent.
“Come on, Quinn. You hired me to help your friend. If you
really care about Ross, as a friend, help me…help him. What
was he trying to escape that he had to use cocaine?”
“I can’t,” he bit out. “There’s confidentiality issues at
stake.”
 I didn’t like his answer, but I respected it. “Okay, but at
least stop lying to him. Tell him who I am and what I’m trying
to accomplish.”
Quinn scoffed. “Ross is threatening to quit because he
thinks you’re here as his fake girlfriend. If he discovers you’re
here to pry his stubborn ass open, he’ll probably kill me with
his bare hands. Even if, by some miracle, he didn’t he’d never
let his guard down, or let you slide under his radar. I’m sorry.
It has to be this way.”
He leaned back in his chair, steepled his hands, and tapped
his index fingers to his lips like he’d done on the terrace last
night. It was Quinn’s contemplative pose.
“Why is it so important that Ross knows the truth?”
“I don’t like deceiving people, but Karma hates it even
more.”
“So you think the truth is going to come back and bite us
in the ass?”
“Think?” I shook my head. “I know it will.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“It’s a universal law.” I could tell by the flicker of doubt in
his eyes, he didn’t understand. “When you send out negative
energy in any form, it’s like dropping a pebble in a lake. The
ripples fan out, but they always return to the source of the
disturbance. So whatever essence your pebble contains will
definitely come back to you.”
“Yet you signed the contract knowing all that. Why? Why
would you agree if you knew there would eventually be
consequences?”
I might have to lie to Ross, but I wasn’t going to lie to
Quinn. Lifting my chin defiantly, I looked him straight in the
eyes. “Because I plan to dismantle his barriers, break down his
walls, and show him the life he’s been missing before he
discovers the truth.”
“I hope you achieve that goal.”
“I will if you tell me what happened to him.”
 “That, my dear, will have to come from Ross himself.”
Quinn summoned the waitress, arbitrarily bringing our
discussion to a halt.
After taking our order and refilling our mugs, the woman
left. I didn’t press my point any further. I’d given Quinn
something to chew on, and maybe, just maybe he’d change his
mind.
He sipped his coffee and quirked a brow. “Tell me about
Gaia Garden. I’m curious to know what commune living is
like.”
I’d wondered when he was going to ask about that.
Usually, when people found out where I lived, they began
pelting me with questions immediately. The fact that Quinn
had waited this long told me he possessed a great deal of
patience.
Just thinking about home brought a soft smile to my lips.
“It’s…amazing, but we prefer the term ecovillage.”
“Ecovillage. Huh, that’s got a nice ring to it. So, what
exactly do you do there?”
“Work, and lots of it,” I chuckled. “Everyone works forty-
eight hours a week.”
“How many people live in your ecovillage?”
“We have a hundred and thirty-seven adults and twenty-
two children. Well, a hundred and thirty-six now that I’m
here.”
“What kind of work do you all do?”
“Laundry, childcare, schooling, hunting, cooking, plowing
the fields, planting the crops, chopping wood, repairing
houses…everything.”
“So, you’re a completely self-sustained community?”
“More than self-sustained. We also have a general store,
where we sell the fruits and vegetables we grow, honey, eggs,
milk, cream, cheeses, breads, pies, cookies, jams, jellies,
herbs, art, clothing, rugs…pretty much everything. People
come from all over the world to shop there.”
 “Is it lucrative?”
“Yes, very.”
Well, it had been until my greedy mother lost her way.
“And the people there didn’t mind you leaving them one
worker short?”
“No. They were excited.” And counting on me to fill the
coffers again to restore cosmic harmony.
 CHAPTER FIVE

Ross

“I ’m fucking done with Quinn. We need to find a new

agent,” I snarled to my band brothers seated around me
in Burk’s suite.
I’d been venting for forty minutes, but it wasn’t doing a
damn bit of good. I was as livid as I’d been when I entered the
room. Not so much at Quinn—as I was protesting—though
he’d royally pissed me off. Truthfully, I was still enraged at the
motherfucker who’d had his hands all over Harmony. I’d
heard her call my name as I strode down the sidewalk but
ignored her. I wasn’t in the right frame of mind to deal with
her or anyone at that moment. But when her yelp and cry for
help had sliced the air, something inside me snapped and
blinded me with a level of fury I’d never felt before.
“He’s the best in the business. We can’t fire him. But we
sure as fuck can draw some ground rules,” Syd rallied. “He’s
our agent, not our fucking father.”
Ozzy nodded. “I wanted to kill him, and myself, when he’d
announced that Mia was going to be our opening act.”
“Yeah, but I think his motivation for that was nothing but
greed. He didn’t know that you and Mia had history,” Darren
pointed out.
“You sure about that?” I lifted a skeptical brow. “It seemed
awfully coincidental. And you all know I don’t believe in
coincidences.”
“I’m not putting on a cheerleader skirt and raising any
pom-poms on Quinn’s behalf,” Darren assured. “But I don’t
think he’s actually trying to hook you and Harmony up. Not in
the real sense. I think he really is just trying to get the tabloids
off your ass.”
“Bullshit,” I spat. “If that’s all he was after he could have
hired a million different groupies to act the part. But he didn’t.
He hired the sweetest, most innocent woman on the planet
because he knew she’d be my sexual napalm.”
“Is she?” Burk asked, biting back a smile and failing
miserably.
I didn’t bother answering, simply sent him a glare and
snarled.
“I’d say that’s a big hell yeah. She’s not only ball-
churningly beautiful but she’s got virgin written all over her. I
feel your pain, man,” Syd drawled, grabbing his junk. “Hell, if
you don’t want her, give her to me. I’d gladly tap—”
“Don’t say another fucking word,” I roared, launching
from the couch and drawing back a fist.
Always the peacekeeper, Burk stood and stepped between
us. “Easy, man. Don’t kill him. He’s just mouthing off.”
“Then give me a ball gag so I can shut his ass up.”
“I like the big, red rubber ones,” Syd said with a laugh.
“You’re not helping, fucker,” Ozzy drawled.
“Sorry. My bad,” Syd apologized with a sheepish smirk.
“It’s just…she’s so fucking tempt—”
“Shut up,” the others bellowed in unison.
“Sit down and chill out, man.” Burk nodded toward my
seat as he placed a calming hand on my shoulder. “Let’s find a
way to work around this…challenge.”
With an inward scoff, I flopped down again. The only
challenge I had to work around was keeping the dangerous
urge to strip Harmony bare and drag her beneath me.
 “I have an idea,” Darren announced.
“Spit it out,” I grumbled.
“It’s not going to solve your issues with Quinn, but if you
and Harmony can quickly convince the paparazzi that you two
are madly in love, they’ll turn their crosshairs on someone
else. There’d be no reason for Harmony to stay with us for the
whole tour. Once the tabloids are done gorging on your
relationship, she can go back to…”
“Kentucky,” I mumbled. “She’s from Kentucky.”
“That explains her sweet southern accent,” Darren
quipped.
“He’s right.” Ozzy lifted his somber expression my way.
“Mia can help coach you two. She and Nigel spent years
pretending to be a couple.”
“They were damn convincing, too,” Burk added.
“True.” I nodded, pondering the suggestion.
“I wouldn’t have believed they’d never slept together if I
hadn’t heard it from you, Oz,” Darren added.
Leaning in, Ozzy pinned me with a somber stare.
“Remember what Burk told me when I was losing my shit
over Mia?”
“Which part?”
“That everything was going to be fine, because you all had
my back?” I nodded. “Well, everything is still going to be fine,
because we all have yours. We’re not letting you quit. Got it?”
The conviction, understanding, and love in his voice
brought a lump to my throat.
“No, we’re not,” Burk seconded. “You’re stuck with us.”
“Until we’re old and gray and wearing Depends on stage,”
Syd chortled.
“I’m never putting on a fucking diaper,” I barked at the
bass player. “I’ll shit my pants first.”
 “Oh, the groupies will love that.” He laughed, then quickly
sobered. “Fuck. If we’re still performing when we’re that old,
will the groupies still want to play with our dusty old balls?”
“Forget those chicks; I just want to be able to get it up for
Tori.” Darren cringed.
“I’ll have to turn into a Viagra addict,” Syd howled.
“If you keep sticking your dick in anything with a pulse,
your shit will rot off long before erectile dysfunction sets in,” I
chided dryly.
“At least I’m getting some, fucker,” Syd countered with a
grin.
“So, you’re staying, right?” Burk’s face was etched in
concern.
“Yeah, I’m staying,” I mumbled. “But only if you guys
swear that you’ll never leave me alone with Harmony.”
While the others looked a bit puzzled by my request, Syd
threw a fist pump in the air and grinned. “Hell yes! I love
watching porn.”
“I’m not going to fuck her,” I snarled.
“Then you’re an idiot,” Syd said, shaking his head sadly.
“No. I just refuse to give Quinn the satisfaction of letting
some chick mess with my head if that’s what he’s really up
to.”
“Good luck with that,” Ozzy muttered slyly.
The keyboard player might have been crazy enough to let
Mia fuck with both his heads…twice, but I wasn’t a fool. I
was simply more jaded. No way would I let Harmony sink her
claws into me.
No, you’ll just fantasize about her claws raking down your
back while you fuck her breathless every night, jacking off, a
little voice in my head mocked.
Highly likely, but fantasies were the only sure way to keep
me from destroying us both.
 When Burk’s cell phone began to ring, he pulled the device
from his pocket and smiled. “Hey, baby, what’s up?”
The adoration in his voice was nauseating. I had nothing
against other people being in love, but I sure as shit didn’t
want Cupid’s arrows anywhere near my sorry ass.
“Shit. I forgot all about the interview,” Burk groaned.
“Fuck, I did too,” Darren muttered.
I hadn’t, though I’d really wanted to, especially after
reading the lies the vultures were spewing about me. Though I
was going to be in the hot seat, I planned to do what I always
did—sit quietly and let Syd be Syd while the others answered
questions.
“We’re on our way down.” Burk paused, then sent me a
supportive nod. “Yeah, all of us. Don’t ever underestimate the
power of the brotherhood, baby.”
“Amen.” Ozzy grinned as he and the others stood.
With a heavy sigh, I rose from the couch and followed
them out of the suite.
Stepping onto the bus behind Darren, the guitar player
drew up short and murmured over his shoulder, “Heads up.
We’re not alone.”
I knew he wasn’t talking about Sofia and Mia being
onboard. That was a given.
“Lovely,” I drawled under my breath as I nodded to our
driver, Kenny, and started down the long, narrow aisle.
Sofia, Mia, Quinn, and Harmony were seated on a long
leather couch in the middle of the coach. Ignoring everyone
but our meddling agent, I pinned him with a glare.
Quinn briefly closed his eyes and grimly nodded. “Thank
you for reconsidering and joining—”
“You and I aren’t done. Not by a long shot,” I snarled,
sliding onto the chair across from him and the girls.
“I know, but we can’t shut the press down if you keep a
closed mind.”
 “I might have tried to keep it open from the beginning if
you hadn’t pulled out a fucking crowbar.”
“Please. You wouldn’t have been any more receptive to the
idea if I’d handed Harmony to you on a silver platter, and you
damn well know it.”
And because I was a sick, twisted fuck, my mind filled
with images of Harmony, naked and poised on a silver platter,
innocently waiting for me to devour her like a big bad wolf.
Focus, fucker.
“I already told you I don’t give a shit what the tabloids
say.”
“You should. The lies they spin reflect badly on all of you.
The sooner we prove their stories are bullshit, the better.”
“I thought controversy sold tickets. That’s what this is all
about, right?”
“No. This isn’t about money. Your upcoming tour sold out
in less than four minutes. It’s about procuring positive
publicity instead of negative. It’s why I sent Sofia to join your
last tour. I’m sorry you don’t like it, but I’m not going to sit
back and let all her hard work swirl down the drain because
you don’t give a shit what those assholes say about you.”
“Fine. Out of respect to Sofia, I’ll play your little game.
But the second the press turns their attention on someone else,
she strolls off the bus and flies back to Kentucky,” I said,
jerking a thumb at Harmony.
“Deal.” Quinn nodded. “Let’s get some acting classes
started.”
“What? Now?” I barked.
“No time like the present. Especially since Mia has
generously offered to be an on-site acting coach for you two.”
“I don’t need a damn coach. I know how to…act.”
Beside me, Syd let out a long, loud belly laugh. “Dude, if
you act like you’ve been for the past four years, she isn’t ever
going back to Kentucky.”
 “Though I appreciate y’all wagering bets on when I’ll go
home, she is sitting right here,” Harmony reminded.
Clearly, the only way I was going to get everyone off my
dick was to prove myself.
No time like the present. Yeah, well suck on this, Quinn.
I stood and crossed the aisle before dropping to one knee
in front of Harmony. As I threaded my fingers through hers—
struggling to dismiss the biting current surging up my arm—I
leashed my beast in heavy chains. Then I shored up my
barriers, dusted off an enamored expression that had been
stored in mothballs for years, and slapped my loving boyfriend
mask in place.
Harmony’s hypnotic blue eyes widened in unadulterated
shock. Holding her prisoner with a seductive gaze, I felt a
tempting tremor quake her body. The pulse point at the base of
her neck started fluttering like hummingbird wings.
Every cell in my body ached to draw her to my lips and
kiss her warm, silky flesh, drag my tongue along the inside of
her wrist until she whimpered softly. But simply touching her
like this was pushing the envelope and putting us both in
dangerous territory. Still, I had a point to make. If they wanted
a performance, by god, I intended to knock them on their
asses. And if I could scare Harmony off in the process…all the
better.
“Yes, you are here, princess.” Whispering in an alluring
tone that hadn’t wrapped my vocal cords in years, I dragged a
knuckle softly down her cheek. “Trust me, beautiful. There’s
no place on earth I want you to be other than here, with me.”
Harmony’s eyes grew wide as she lifted a trembling hand
to her mouth.
“Whoa, damn,” Mia whispered.
I was still turning on the charm and getting lost in
Harmony’s liquid blue pools when something that looked a lot
like hero worship skipped over them.
Shit.
 I quickly released her hand, turned off the seduction, then
sent Quinn a sarcastic smirk as I returned to my seat. “Still
think I need an acting coach?”
Harmony’s enchanted expression gave way to cold, hard
rejection.
A red blush crawled up her chest and stained her cheeks.
As she lowered her lashes, I caught a glimpse of tears
filling her eyes.
The sight of what my callous behavior had done to her was
a kick to the gut. Guilt sluiced through my veins, and I felt like
the biggest prick on the planet. Clenching my jaw, I bit back a
howl and started mentally practicing my acceptance speech for
the Asshole of the Year Award.
“You don’t,” Mia answered assuredly, sending Harmony a
supportive but sympathetic smile as she bravely lifted her
head. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you play your part
convincingly.”
“Maybe I’m not cut out to be an actress.” Insecurity
saturated Harmony’s words.
Son of a bitch. Obviously, destroying her spirt wasn’t
enough. I had to go and send a tsunami of doubt to drown her
as well. Even worse was knowing that none of this was her
fault. This innocent beauty who probably didn’t have a cynical
bone in her body, unlike me, was nothing but a casualty of the
war Quinn was waging between me and the media. Harmony
had no logical reason to even be here, let alone get herself
involved in my miserable shit show.
“Nonsense.” Quinn waved her worries away. “You’ll—”
“Just follow my lead. You’ll do fine, princess.”
I had no idea what possessed me to reassure her. Guilt?
Probably. And this was why I wanted her on the next plane to
Kentucky. I was a piss-poor excuse for a human being and an
even worse pseudo-boyfriend. But all that aside, I’d never
survive living with the temptation of Harmony Sharp day in,
day out for the next six months. What little self-control I
possessed would crumble.
 No, I wasn’t a pussy, but even Superman couldn’t defend
himself against Kryptonite. And the beautiful, innocent
temptress sitting across from me was far more lethal to my
restraint than all the Kryptonite in comiclandia.
“Oh, shit,” Mia mumbled, peering out the window as the
bus rolled to a stop. “Quinn, seriously. You cannot thrust her
into that. Harmony needs more time.”
I turned and stared at the swarm of screaming fans and
reporters clogging the entrance of the radio station. My gut
knotted, and my heart started thrumming wildly. I wasn’t even
in the right headspace to face that crowd with her on my arm.
Harmony had to be having an internal meltdown right now.
“Mercy,” she exhaled on a shaky breath.
“If we’re going to nip this in the bud, we have to start
now.” Quinn frowned. “I’m sorry, Harmony, but are you up for
a little trial by fire?”
“No,” I bellowed. “You’re not sending her into that viper
pit without some practice.”
“I agree,” Burk piped up. “Harmony isn’t ready for this.”
“Thanks, both of you, but I’m not made of glass.”
Harmony swallowed tightly. “I know now what I have to do.
I’m not afraid of facing your fans, but the press—”
“Should scare you shitless. They’re ruthless and will tear
you to shreds,” I warned.
“Maybe. But I’m not facing them alone. You’ll all be
beside me, right?” When I nodded, she stood and resolutely
lifted her chin. “Then let’s do this.”
Harmony was either the most naïve woman on the planet
or the bravest, I wasn’t sure which. I did know one thing. I had
to keep her from coming unglued when the paparazzi pounced.
Making sure my barriers were anchored securely, I stood
and eased in beside her, leaning close to her ear. I didn’t want
Quinn to overhear me and nix my suggestion. “You don’t have
to do this. You can stay on the bus until—”
 “No. I’m good. I’ll play my part as convincingly as you
did a few minutes ago.”
Please, God, let her be bluffing.
This tempting little morsel was testing my self-restraint to
its limit simply by breathing. If she started turning on the
seduction, I’d come completely undone and things would get
ugly fast. “Don’t start playing with fire, because I guarantee
you will get burned.”
Harmony trembled, with what I hoped was a shiver of fear.
But when she lifted her thick lashes and I saw challenge and
hunger flare in her electric-blue eyes, I bit back a howl.
“Good thing I’m not afraid of a few flames.”
Fuck my life. This sassy, sexy minx is going to be the death
of me.
“We’re supposed to be live on-air in five minutes,” Sofia
reminded.
“Let’s get moving,” Quinn urged. “Oh, and one more
thing, gang. When Harmony steps out with Ross, the press will
want to know her name. Don’t tell them. I want to keep her
identity a mystery for as long as possible.”
The others agreed to keep their mouths shut before making
their way off the coach. I turned to Quinn with a scowl. “Why
don’t you want them knowing her name?”
“Because it adds to the mystique.” Quinn smiled. “They’ll
be so focused on trying to find out who she is, they might stop
printing bullshit about suicide attempts.”
“What happens when they finally ID her?”
“They won’t,” Quinn assured cryptically.
“Why not?”
“You and Harmony need to sit down and get to know each
other better…find out about one another’s lifestyles.”
I nearly gave myself whiplash as I snapped my head
toward the girl. While I hadn’t been around her long enough to
know if she was a submissive or not, she had all the markings
for sure.
“You son of a—”
“Not that lifestyle, Ross,” Quinn quickly amended. “I
mean, talk about your likes and dislikes, where you grew up,
hopes and dreams. That kind of stuff.”
“Sure,” I scoffed, only to appease him.
“Good. Okay, I’ll bring up the rear,” he said, nodding
toward the door. “Hold hands and keep her beside you.”
“I know the drill.”
“Wait. What am I supposed to do?” Harmony’s voice
quivered.
Finally, fear had taken hold of her.
“Smile and don’t let go of my hand no matter what,” I
instructed.
When we reached the stairs, I threaded my fingers through
hers, doing everything in my power to ignore the current
humming up my arm, and escorted her straight into the viper
pit.
The instant the paparazzi saw us together, they swarmed
like a school of piranhas, barking out questions over the loud
rock music piped onto the street from the radio station.
We managed to get three steps in before the press—
pushing and shoving and thrusting microphones and cameras
in our faces—surrounded us and cut off our path. Harmony
tensed and damn near squeezed my fingers off as a tiny
whimper of terror slid from the back of her throat. Her lips
quivered as her smile faltered, but it was the sheer look of
panic shimmering in her eyes that sent my anger spiking.
Damn you, Quinn. She’s losing her shit.
Sliding my arm around her waist, I tucked Harmony in
close to my side. I knew touching her sinful body was a stupid
masochistic move, but I couldn’t let the terror unfurling within
her take over. Still, I was unprepared for the feel of her lush,
warm curves molding so perfectly against me. Where I was
firm, solid muscle, she was soft, yielding flesh melting against
me as if she’d been designed for me alone.
And when she wrapped her arm around my hip, fisting my
shirt as if it were a lifeline, a bolt of lightning streaked up my
spine. The primitive need to protect this precious angel at all
costs thundered through me. And somewhere on the periphery
of the kaleidoscope of emotions crowding my system, I could
feel every cell in my body sizzling to life as if waking from a
long, desolate coma.
As she trembled in my arms, Harmony turned her head,
burying her face against my shirt. Her panicked breaths spilled
through the fabric and ignited my flesh like the nine circles of
hell. The ache to dip my head and claim her lips, gorge on the
liquid heat of her mouth, and soothe her fears throbbed
through me. But I fought the notion as Quinn shoved his way
alongside Harmony, pushing the mics and cameras away.
Locked in the sea of unrelenting reporters, all struggling to
get closer while bludgeoning us with questions, I watched as
Burk and the others reached the front door of the radio station.
Lifting the tip of my tongue to the roof of my mouth, I
blew out a sharp whistle—the quasi-bat-signal we’d adopted
years ago after getting our asses kicked in one too many bar
fights—alerting them I needed help. In unison, all four band
brothers snapped their heads my direction. Like pack wolves,
their bodies tensed, and their hands clenched into fists as they
bulldozed through the crowd, clearing the path enough for us
to enter the building.
Once we were safely inside, it took several minutes to let
my need to protect Harmony bleed out. I almost forgot to
thank the guys for their help. Their modest assurance that it
was nothing was completely expected. After all, they’d vowed
to have my back. Then the stupid bastards did the one thing I’d
explicitly asked them not to; they strolled down the hall,
leaving me and Harmony completely alone.
Fuck.
 Clutching my self-control in a death grip, I studied the
pale, shell-shocked woman beside me. “You okay?”
“I-I don’t know. That was…insane.”
“Hate to tell you this, but that crowd was small…and
tame.” Her blue eyes grew wide and her pretty face turned a
couple shades paler. Yeah, if Harmony decided to stick around,
she’d need a shit-ton of acting lessons from Mia. Giving up
hope that the mob outside hadn’t scared Harmony off, I jerked
my head toward the hallway. “It’s show time. You ready?”
“Yes.” She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin.
Fuck, she was cute, even when she was being foolishly
brave.
While Sofia and Harmony stood silently on the other side
of the room, my band brothers did their best to keep the DJ’s
focus on our latest album and the new tour. But based on the
weight of the air, growing heavier by the second, I knew his
attention would soon veer off Ozzy and Mia’s newfound love
and speed straight for me.
My ass had spent plenty of time in the hot seat, especially
after rehab. Still, experience didn’t stop my heart from
chugging or my palms from sweating. Having my nuts roasted
sucked elephant balls.
A few minutes later, as expected, the DJ turned a
sympathetic expression my way. “Ross Walker. Damn glad
you made it today, man. You’re looking good…looking really
good.”
The grief in his soft, somber tone reminded me of the
people who’d whispered their condolences at my grandma’s
funeral when I was ten. I wanted to slam my fist through his
face. Instead, I slid on my actor skin and let go of my anger.
“Thanks,” I murmured as I turned and pinned Harmony
with a sensual stare meant to melt her into a puddle. When she
sucked in a startled gasp and her blue eyes flared, I knew I’d
achieved that objective. “I feel good, damn good, in fact.”
The DJ followed my line of sight and smirked. “Is she the
reason?”
 “She is.”
“So, the rumors about you—”
“Are lies.”
“And you’re not thinking about committing—?”
“No. The only sin I’m going to commit is stripping my girl
naked once we get back to the hotel and enticing her to scream
the Lord’s name in vain until she’s in a coma,” I said in a
growl as I held her with a hungry half-lidded stare.
A coy smile, as if she were keeping a million naughty
secrets, tugged her lips. “You did that last night and this
morning. It’s a miracle I can talk at all, let alone walk.”
Her sultry tone, wrapped in that sweet southern drawl,
made me want to launch from my chair and drag her straight
to my bunk on the bus.
“Folks, I wish you could see the sparks flying off these
two. I wouldn’t be surprised if the whole damn studio bursts
into flames.” The DJ laughed.
She was definitely setting me on fire, no doubt about it.
The announcer arched a quizzical brow and smiled.
“What’s your name, honey?”
“Mine,” I snarled.
“Whoa, easy, big guy.” The DJ chuckled nervously. “Your
fans will kill me if I don’t give them some juicy details about
your beautiful, sexy mystery woman.”
“Then tell me what you want carved on your headstone.”
“I think you’re scaring him, baby.” Harmony chuckled as
she pushed off the wall and walked toward me. The sway of
her hips, though not overt, had me salivating.
When she eased in beside me and cupped my shoulder, I
tensed. The guys knew my limits, and I could tell each one
was holding their breath as they watched with wide eyes. They
grew even bigger when she leaned in close enough that I could
feel her breath on my neck.
 Mentally gripping every ounce of my control in a mighty
fist, I clenched my jaw as her warm breath slid over my flesh.
I would have given my left nut to turn my head and claim her
succulent lips. The thought of spearing my tongue into her
juicy mouth had my muscles turning to granite. Especially my
cock, which, thanks to the little minx, was hard enough to
crush diamonds, throbbing like a bitch, and painfully scraping
my zipper.
I had to get her hand off me before I totally lost my shit.
Forcing a smile that felt more like a sneer, I clasped her wrist
and nonchalantly lifted her searing hand from my shoulder.
Unable to let her go, I threaded her fingers through mine and
stroked the inside of her wrist with my thumb.
Harmony inhaled sharply as arousal flared in her eyes. The
pulse point at her neck was hammering wildly. Christ, if she
responded like this simply from my touch, I couldn’t wait to
see what she’d do once I had her splayed out, naked on my
bed, and dragging my tongue over every inch of her wicked
body.
As if reading my mind, she swallowed audibly before
assuming her assigned role. An innocent smile stretched across
her lips. Obviously, she didn’t notice the DJ’s obscene stare
locked on her lush tits, or the way he licked his lips as if dying
for a taste. I’d certainly noticed and was ready to rip his eyes
from their sockets and shove them up his ass.
“What kind of questions do the fans have?” Harmony
asked in a soft, shy voice.
Fuck. Me. She didn’t need acting lessons any more than I
did. The performance she was giving had my damn blood
boiling.
The DJ was so enthralled with her tits, he didn’t even
acknowledge her question.
“Focus,” I growled.
The prick finally peeled his eyes off her and jerked his
head to the mic in front of his face. “Well, let’s see… How
long have you and Ross been, um…together?”
 “Biblically? Or when we first met?” She blushed.
When Harmony’s mind went straight to sex, my jaw nearly
hit the floor. My cock lurched, eager to go straight there with
her, too.
“They’re one and the same, aren’t they?” Syd chortled.
She blanched, then quickly recovered with a little laugh.
“Why, Syd…were you listening?”
“It was a little hard—pardon the pun—not to, sunshine.”
The bass player laughed. “The noises coming out of your room
sounded like Fifty Shades of Animal Planet.”
“What can I say?” She shrugged. “Ross always makes me
go a little crazy.”
The innocent smile tugging her lips had my cock trying to
punch a hole through my zipper.
“I take it you two have been together for a while, then?”
the DJ asked.
“Yes. A very long time.” I nodded. If you’re counting by
seconds, that is.
“Then why haven’t we ever seen you two together? Have
you been hiding her?”
“Yes. I don’t share well,” I said with a nasty smile.
“That’s more than obvious, dude.” The DJ smirked.
As if knowing I was seconds from punching the fucker out
cold, Harmony squeezed my hand. I didn’t like that she could
read me so effortlessly. She was too perceptive, too fucking
tempting…too everything.
I was done sitting in this goddamn hot seat.
Done playing the role of imaginary boyfriend.
Done trying to ignore the heat of her body, intoxicating
scent of her skin, and those innocent, glacier-blue eyes delving
deep into my soul.
We weren’t here to weave lies about relationships and
sexual encounters that would never happen no matter how
desperate I was to deflower the beauty.
Clenching my jaw, I released Harmony’s hand, severing
the unnerving connection between us, and sent Burk an
impatient stare that screamed, Get this fucking DJ off my dick.
“Oh, hey, man…I almost forgot. Though our concert’s
been sold out for months, we brought some VIP packages you
can give to your listeners.” Burk reached out toward Sofia,
who hurried forward and slid the tickets into his palm.
“Hell yeah. Thanks, bro.” The DJ grinned widely as I
jerked a barely perceptible nod of thanks at Burk. “All right.
Let’s do this. Start lighting up the phones, listeners. I’ll take
caller twelve.”
Harmony flashed me a heart-stopping smile before
strolling away to rejoin Sofia near the door.
“Congratulations, you are caller twelve,” the announcer
cheered.
His excitement paled in comparison to the guy on the
phone, who was screaming like a bitch. The others around me
chuckled while I shook my head. It was flattering that the fans
loved us, loved our music, but I never understood why they
lost their damn minds around us or why groupies lined the
halls of our dressing rooms after each concert, peddling pussy.
Once upon a time, I dipped my dick in tons of those willing
women, but for the life of me, I couldn’t remember what a
single one of them looked like now.
When the dude on the phone finally stopped screaming and
gave the DJ his name, he sobered quickly. “Hey, can I say
something to Ross?”
“Sure, man. What’s up?” I asked.
“Wow, I can’t believe this…I’m actually talking to the
Ross Walker…the most amazing drummer on the planet. My
girlfriend is going to be so damn jealous,” the caller said in
total awe.
“Then, hell, man…don’t tell her,” I scoffed.
 “Nah, it’s all cool. What I wanted to say is, if you’re
thinking of checking out, don’t do it. My brother ate a bullet
two years ago, and I’m still struggling with what he did.”
When the man’s voice cracked, my heart turned to lead.
“I’m sorry about your brother, dude. That sucks. But I’m
not planning on leaving this world anytime soon. I swear.”
“Thank you. I know you don’t know me, but your songs,
especially “Empty Nights,” got me through the really rough
days after his death.”
“I’m glad we were able to help in some small way. Stay
strong, brother, and we’ll see you backstage before the concert
tomorrow night.”
“Hell yeah,” he cheered. “Oh, I need to warn you, Ross.
My girlfriend is in love with you and will probably ask you to
sign her tits.”
“I like tits,” Syd called out.
I chuckled and shook my head. “I’ll make sure I have a
marker on me.”
 CHAPTER SIX

Harmony

W ords couldn’t describe the relief I felt when the DJ

turned his focus from Ross to Mia and began quizzing
her about opening for the tour. With the spotlight now off
Ross, I didn’t have to worry about performing anymore and
had all the time in the world to worry and wonder if my act
had been convincing enough.
Had I laid it on too thick, too thin, or just right? Should I
have said or done something different like crawl across Ross’s
lap and throw my arms around his neck?
No. Because after that smoldering look he’d sent me—
again—I would have needed a crowbar to pry myself off him.
Oh, I knew his erotic, half-lidded stare was all an act, but it
didn’t keep quivers of arousal from skipping through me.
Thank goodness I didn’t embarrass myself in the studio like I
had on the bus. How could I let myself believe his seduction
had been real? It was too late now to change my reaction. Still,
his fiery sexual aura was wreaking havoc with my hormones.
Doubly relieved when the interview was done, I focused
on gathering my courage to parade back through the throng of
fans and reporters waiting outside. As Ross moved in beside
me, I tried leaching some of his confidence but kept getting
sidetracked by his woodsy, masculine scent.
 “You could have won an Academy Award for that
performance you just gave.” His rich, deep voice slid over me
like warm honey.
Wait. Did Ross just give me a compliment?
Searching his face for any hint of sarcasm, I found none.
“I really did okay?”
He scoffed and slid a gaze outside, where the crowd was
loudly chanting, “Licks of Leather,” then turned his attention
back to me. “The others are going to form a circle around us
so we don’t get cut off again, but you still need to stay close.”
“Darn. I was hoping there was a back door we could sneak
out and avoid all that.”
“Let’s circle the wagons,” Burk called out.
“All that.”—Ross pointed to the crowd—“is free publicity.
We don’t ever turn that shit down. I’ll keep you safe. Trust
me.”
Putting my faith in the goddesses, the earth, stars, and
cycles of the moon came natural to me. Trusting Ross to keep
the mob from squeezing the life out of me wasn’t natural at all.
Still, he’d proven himself capable of getting me inside the
studio. I had little choice but to trust he’d get me back on the
bus in one piece.
“Let’s move out. I’ve reserved a restaurant for lunch,”
Quinn announced.
“Did he just say he’d reserved an entire restaurant?” I
whispered to Ross.
“Yeah. It’s the only way we can all eat a meal in peace
when we’re together. You ready?”
I squared my shoulders, lifted my chin, and nodded.
“All systems go,” he called to the others.
The second Burk opened the door, the cries outside
swelled to a thundering crescendo. I slapped on a smile as
Ross slid his arm around my waist and ushered me through the
portal. As promised, the others shielded us with their bodies as
we inched our way to the bus. The invisible current Ross’s
touch evoked hummed through me, igniting fireworks low in
my belly. I’d never experienced this strange sensation with
anyone but Ross. Only Ross, with his bulging muscles and
chiseled features. The man was a work of art who made me
yearn for things I hadn’t given much thought to before.
I needed to guide this crazy hum to its proper place in the
universe. But where did it belong? And most importantly,
where did it come from? Were Ross and my auras so
diametrically different that his darkness warred with my light
and induced this potent friction? I didn’t have a clue.
One thing was certain—I’d never felt anything so
unnerving and arousing before. But then again, except for
Beau back home, no man had ever even kissed me. Of course,
when our lips touched, I felt nothing. No sparks or fireworks,
definitely nothing like the bonfire that licked my core each
time Ross seared me with his lurid stare. Okay, so it was only
make-believe. Still, the tingles he sent skipping through me
were definitely real.
Lost in my daydreams, I found it easy to block out the
shouting crowd. Before I knew it, I was climbing the stairs
onto the bus. But as Ross placed a warm hand to the small of
my back, that familiar pulse-racing heat spread through me
once more.
“You survived,” Kenny greeted with a wide grin. “I knew
you would. You might be a little thing, but I can tell, you’ve
got moxie.”
“Thanks.”
“And she’s a natural-born actress,” Mia praised, bounding
up the stairs behind Ross.
“I am?”
“Oh, yeah.” Mia grinned as we both sat down on the soft
leather couch. “Ross looked seconds away from bending you
over and giving the listeners a soundtrack they’d never
forget.”
 “Fooled you. Need any more proof that I’m a fine actor?”
Ross groused as he strode past me and disappeared down a
darkened hall toward the rear of the bus.
“Ignore him, Harmony. You did fantastic.” Quinn grinned.
“Keep that up and the tabloids will be retracting their lies in no
time.”
Then what?
Tendrils of dread slid through me. Surely Quinn wouldn’t
void our contract and send me home without the money he’d
promised. Or would he? Shaking off the claws of negativity to
keep my fears from coming to fruition, I drew in several
calming breaths and focused on wending serenity through my
system.
All was great until Ross returned—dragging a cloud of
conflicted emotions with him that fractured my inner peace—
and claimed the seat across the aisle from me once again.
“You okay?” I asked automatically, then inwardly cringed.
Of course he wasn’t. And the chance of him spilling his
guts in front of me or his friends was a big, fat zero.
“Peachy,” he drawled derisively.
I knew he was lying. Everyone on the bus did, too. But I
didn’t push the issue, and neither did they. That was part of
Ross’s problem. No one had ever forced him to confront his
feelings or talk them out. They simply let him shove them into
a big, ugly caldron and cover them with a lid. But like the
pressure cooker Willow used at canning time back home, if
you didn’t keep an eye on the pot, it could explode.
It was past time to lift Ross’s lid and peek inside.
Pretending to stare out the window behind him, I held the man
in my periphery. Cordoning off his potent waves of anger, I
wrapped the coils of his confusion, wisps of hostility, and
strings of resentment around me like a heavy blanket. After I’d
cleared a path and could feel his walls, Ross glanced over his
shoulder, then back at me with a scowl. “What are you looking
at?”
“Nothing. Just taking in the sights of the city,” I fibbed.
 “Oh, yeah? Why are your eyes narrow and what’s with the
frown?”
Dammit. I’d been concentrating so hard on him I hadn’t
bothered to keep my own expression in check.
“I’m just trying to wrap my head around the sheer number
of people on the streets.”
“Tomorrow night there’ll be twenty thousand plus, all in
one place, all on their feet, screaming their lungs out.” Ross
paused and cocked his head. “You ever been to a concert?”
“No. Yours will be my first.”
“Ever?” he barked. I nodded as my cheeks grew warm.
“You don’t like music?”
“Goodness, no, I love it.”
“Then why haven’t you ever been to a concert? We’ve
played Louisville and Lexington more times than I can count.
Hell, back in the day when we were first starting out, I think
we played every bar in Kentucky.” He narrowed his eyes,
sending my heart rate doubling and my stomach tumbling.
“You live in a convent or something?”
“No.” I chuckled. “It’s just, I…” Don’t know how to drive,
let alone own a car, and haven’t even been to Lexington. I’ve
only been to Louisville once, with my dad, when I was ten.
“I hope everyone is good with seafood for lunch,” Quinn
interrupted.
“I could go for some hot, juicy fish tacos,” Syd replied
with a mischievous grin.
“I’m sure you could, but you’re not having them at our
table,” Quinn drawled.
“Grow the fuck up, Syd,” Ross groused.
The undertone of a joke was threaded in their
conversation, but I wasn’t going to ask about it. I’d
embarrassed myself enough for one day.
“Never going to happen,” the bass player announced with
a laugh.
 “Harmony, is seafood okay with you?” Quinn asked.
“Sure.”
“Let me guess,” Ross began, drawing my focus back to
him. “You’ve never eaten seafood before, either, have you?”
Since I wasn’t sure if tuna in a can qualified, I shook my head.
“I take it back. You haven’t been living in a convent, you’ve
been living under a rock.”
“Why are you being so mean to her?” Mia bit out.
“I wasn’t being mean. I was…teasing.”
“Quick, somebody call Ripley’s…Ross is trying to be
funny,” Ozzy barked in feigned shock.
“Fuck off, all of you,” Ross snarled before turning to me
with a tender expression that made my heart thud. “I wasn’t
trying to—”
“It’s okay,” I assured before trying to wedge my foot
through the tiny opening Ross had made in his wall. “But can I
ask a favor?”
As soon as the question left my lips, I felt him slam the
narrow gap shut.
“What?”
“Would you mind explaining the items on the menu if I
have questions?”
“That’s what waiters are for,” he snapped harshly.
His biting waves of annoyance scraped my flesh. Ross
hadn’t simply shut me out, he’d slapped a heavy padlock in
place as well.
“I take it back,” Mia snapped. “You’re not being mean…
you’re being an asshole.”
“Let it go, baby,” Ozzy whispered.
Disgust lined Ross’s face as he exhaled a curse. “If you
have questions, Harmony, go ahead and ask. All right?”
I knew capitulating had cost him dearly. Still, I couldn’t
help but hope I was watching him take his first baby steps
toward healing.
“I appreciate it.” I smiled softly.
“Look at you, playing all nice and shit with others,” Syd
teased. “You feeling okay?”
“Okay enough to rip off your head and shit down your
throat, smart-ass.”
Unfazed by Ross’s violent threat, Syd threw his head back
and laughed.
A minute later, the bus pulled to the curb and stopped.
Standing, I started toward the door, when Quinn called my
name.
“Yes?”
“Aren’t you forgetting someone?” he asked, pointedly
looking at Ross.
“Oh, I thought we were only supposed to play our parts
when—”
“When you two are anywhere in public.”
“Got it.”
Even without the heavy sigh exploding from Ross’s lungs,
his frustration consumed me.
“Grab your boy-toy, Harmony. He’s in serious need of fish
tacos,” Syd snickered, peering over Quinn’s shoulder.
“Shut the fuck up, you sick prick,” Ross growled as he
grabbed my hand.
His anger nearly singed my flesh as he led me down the
stairs and off the bus. I barely had time to slap on a smile as
we hit the sidewalk. Several feet away, a crowd of people was
already gathered around Burk, Sofia, Ozzy, Mia, and Darren. I
darted a glance up at Ross, watching his scowl grow deeper
and more menacing. Planting my heels into the pavement, I
tugged him to a stop.
“What?” he bit out.
 “You won’t earn an Academy Award if you don’t get into
character,” I murmured as I reached up and cupped his cheek.
Every muscle in his body turned to stone.
His nostrils flared.
Something dark and ominous flickered in his eyes.
Then a blast of panic exploded from deep inside him,
sending a flutter of fear surging through me. I jerked my hand
away and swallowed tightly when I saw the raw anger flaring
in his dark eyes.
“Don’t ever touch me again,” he snarled through clenched
teeth.
Struggling to keep my smile in place as the crowd grew
larger and louder; calling out for autographs and selfies, I drew
in a deep breath. “Okay, but you need to get your anger—”
“I know what the fuck I need to do, princess.”
As the words left his lips, Ross donned a mask of
tenderness that belied his harsh, intimidating demeanor.
Without another word, he wrapped a thick arm around my
waist, gently pulled me to his side, and started toward the
others.
“What’s the deal with the fish tacos?” I asked.
Ross came to an abrupt halt, jolting me against his hip.
Lifting a dubious brow, he narrowed his eyes. “Are you
fucking with me?”
“No. I just don’t know what—”
“Christ, you really are innocent, aren’t you?”
His tone was a mixture of awe and disbelief. I wasn’t sure
if that was a good or a bad thing, but the swarm of fans was
growing even bigger. It was time for me to play my role and
not ask any more questions. As we met up with Burk, Sofia,
Ozzy, Mia, and Darren, I glanced behind me to see Syd and
Quinn already greeting fans.
Suddenly, a large-breasted brunette with glossy red lips,
and heavy makeup screamed Ross’s name as she ran toward
him.
I tensed. I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do. Did I
stay put? Move out of the way? Go inside the restaurant?
But as more fans closed in all around us and the brunette
got all up in Ross’s personal space, I wanted to scurry back to
the safety of the bus.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t being paid to run and hide.
“Well, hello, there,” Ross all but purred, gazing at the
woman’s ample cleavage and slowly inching away from me.
His dismissal stung. I lowered my lashes and
subconsciously compared my average-sized breasts to the ones
wiggling and jiggling in Ross’s face. For the first time in my
life, I felt woefully inadequate.
The woman giggled, gushed, and pawed at Ross,
confessing that she’d been in love with him for years. He
thanked her and praised her with platitudes as she shoved a
marker at him and yanked open the V of her shirt—practically
exposing all her goods, to the entire world.
A ball of jealousy I had no business feeling, lodged in my
throat.
I reminded myself that I was nothing but an actress, but it
didn’t lessen the longing to shove her away from him.
Seemingly content with the woman’s brazen behavior,
Ross pressed his palm to the plump flesh spilling from her lacy
pink bra and scrawled his name over her pale skin.
Anger, pain, and envy battered me from every direction.
The desire to scratch out her eyes and yank the long, dark hair
from her scalp pelted me.
Goodness! Where did such vile and violent thoughts come
from?
Reeling from the shock and horror of my fierce reaction, I
watched a gorgeous redhead slide in beside Ross. She didn’t
say a word, simply sent him a smoldering smile, then grabbed
the hem of her conservative black business skirt with her long
red fingernails and yanked the garment up to her waist.
 Though no one around us even batted an eye, I gasped in
dismay.
One long, slender leg—wrapped in black lace-topped
stockings and attached to a bright red garter belt—was fully
exposed, along with her entire right butt cheek. I couldn’t
believe it…her bare backside was just hanging out there for
everyone to see. But what she did next defied all logic—at
least to me.
The woman flashed Ross a seductive wink, then slapped
herself on the butt…hard. Closing her eyes briefly, she let out
a long moan, then peered up at him and licked her lips. “Sign
your name right here, big boy. Give it to me…nice and hard.”
“Anything you say, kitten,” Ross drawled.
Clutching the marker, he lowered to one knee. As he
skimmed a wide hand up her stocking-covered leg, the woman
closed her eyes again, and moaned like my mom did each time
Dad had shooed me from our Airstream.
Anger, jealousy, and rejection swirled like a cyclone. I
couldn’t stand there and watch the brazen women peel away
their clothes and entice Ross to touch them.
Tears stinging my eyes, I turned to walk away and came
face-to-face with Sofia. As if sensing my turmoil, she took my
hand and sent me a supportive smile.
“Let’s go inside and find our table while the rock stars feed
and water their fans.”
While the onslaught of ugly emotions churned through me,
I nodded and let Sofia lead me into the building.
“You okay?”
“Peachy,” I tersely replied.
“I know how shocking this is for you. I’ve worked in this
industry for years and nearly lost my mind when I joined the
guys on tour.” Sofia kept her voice low as we followed the
young hostess to a private dining room.
On a long, rectangular table draped in white linen, place
settings of fine bone china and shimmering stemware were
assembled in front of several glossy oak chairs. Glass sconces
lined the walls, illuminating the room in a soft glow.
“Sitting behind a desk orchestrating tours and publicity
junkets is way different than being out there with them and
having all those…eager women shoved in your face,” Sofia
continued. “It’s not easy to turn the other cheek and look away
when you want to bitch-slap them into next week.”
So my violent impulse was normal?
Maybe if I was Ross’s real girlfriend.
But I wasn’t. There was no rational reason for these dark,
nasty feelings to be clawing through me.
“I’m sure it’s torture watching them throw themselves at
Burk,” I sympathized as the hostess finished setting a menu on
each plate, then left the room. “But I’m just here to play a
part.”
Sofia sent me a knowing smile. “Then you’re an even
better actress than you portrayed at the interview.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Because you looked like you were ready to spit nails
when those women were rubbing all over Ross.”
Praying to all the goddesses that he hadn’t been as
perceptive as Sofia, I forced a tight smile. “I need to use the
ladies’ room. I’ll be right back.”
“Take your time. They’ll be signing autographs for a
while.”
Good.
It was going to take more than a few minutes for me to
purge these toxic emotions and replace them with patience,
peace of mind, and the tranquility necessary to restore my
soul.
Then what? It’s not going to last.
That wasn’t negativity talking…it was the truth.
 I knew the second Ross turned his fathomless dark eyes on
me again, my system would short-circuit, and I’d be right
where I was now, trying to process all these foreign emotions.
Because it happened every dang time.
Maybe I needed a wall around me to shield my system
from the sparks he induced. But I couldn’t. I had to somehow
entice him out from behind his own bastion. But until I got an
accurate read on Ross’s emotions and uncovered his secrets, I
didn’t know if I needed to use a battering ram or kindness.
Until then, I had to don a mask, as fake as that trampy
redhead’s lips, boobs, and fingernails, and play my part in
deceiving the public.
I knew the people back home were happy that I was here
trying to save our little slice of heaven. But would they still be
as supportive if they knew I was deceiving everyone on the
planet? Or that the man I’d been assigned to save lit my soul
up like a firefly every time he looked, touched, or spoke to
me?
After circling the restaurant three times, I finally asked a
waitress for directions. Once inside the restroom, I splashed
cold water on my face and dried off with a cottony-soft
towelette as memories of home filled my brain.
I closed my eyes and envisioned the lush green mountain. I
could almost smell the pine in the fresh, sweet air. See those
tall trees stretching toward the heavens. Hear Jeb strumming a
happy tune on his banjo by the fire.
A pang of longing for the simple, safe, uplifting life I’d left
behind stung.
Sucking in a deep breath, I tucked the bittersweet
memories away and studied my reflection in the mirror.
“This job wasn’t supposed to be like this,” I whispered
softly.
Every hardship reaps its own reward. My father’s voice
and sage wisdom echoed in my ears.
“But I think I’m in over my head, Bodhi,” I murmured to
him.
 And though he was over seven hundred miles away, I
could hear his wisdom whispering through me once more.
You’ll never find peace with life until you achieve peace
within yourself.
Yes. Regardless of the tangled mess I was in, I had to
maintain my peace of mind. The only way I could achieve that
goal was to feed and water the seeds of compassion and
tranquility.
Though Ross was hands down the most emotionally
unavailable and socially detached man I’d ever met, I was
determined to help him discover his happiness and set it free.
After aligning my mind, body, and soul once more, I
stepped from the bathroom and plowed into a wide, solid
chest. As I froze in place with my breasts mashed against a
wall of unyielding muscle, Ross’s unique, masculine scent
charged through me, making my nipples shrink into hard,
throbbing pebbles.
I wanted to blame being startled for my thundering
heartbeat, now pounding in my ears, but I couldn’t lie to
myself. Ross’s salacious stare slicing my soul wide open was
the reason for the pulsing throb assaulting my system.
Half a tripping heartbeat later, I wanted to climb his
rugged body like a spider monkey and wrap my arms around
his deliciously broad shoulders.
Peeling away from his penetrating gaze, I was captured
and held prisoner by the sight of his full, erotic lips. Oh, how I
longed to lift to my toes and press my mouth against his to see
if he tasted as good as I imagined.
Get a grip, a little voice in my head demanded.
“Umm, the men’s room is right there.” I pointed at the
doorway to my right.
“I’m not here to hit the head.” Ross’s deep, raspy voice
vibrated through my chest. A knot of heat unraveled low in my
belly, sending tingles skittering up my spine.
“Then why are you here?”
 “Waiting for you.”
“Why me?”
“I wanted to apologize in case I hurt your feelings
outside.”
“Don’t be silly. They’re your fans. Of course you have to
sign…body parts.”
A frown creased his brow. “I meant my comment about
you being innocent.”
“Oh.”
“I wasn’t making fun of you, honest. There’s nothing
wrong with… Tons of people haven’t experienced a lot of life
—”
“Just because I’ve never autographed boobs or butt cheeks
doesn’t mean I’m innocent. I have lots of experience with
life.”
Skepticism crawled across his face. “If you say so. I just
—”
“For your information, I’ve helped goats, pigs, dogs, and
cats give birth. I’ve planted gardens, picked the harvest, and
helped can them, too. I’ve churned butter, made cheese, and
—”
“Okay, okay,” he interrupted, raising his hands in
surrender. “I stand corrected. So you live on a farm back in
Kentucky?”
“Sort of.”
“I’m anxious to hear more about it, but right now
everyone’s waiting for us at the table.” He swept his thick
tattooed arm, gesturing for me to lead the way.
“Oh, right.” I nodded.
As we began walking, Ross pressed his wide hand at the
small of my back. Shards of lightning splintered through me,
leaving shivers of want their wake.
 Sucking in a shallow breath, I glanced up at him. “Were
you serious or just being polite?”
“About what?”
“Wanting to know more about me.”
“You should have figured out by now that I’m rarely ever
polite. And yes, I was being serious.”
“Oh. All right, but you have to tell me about you, too.”
“Drums are my life. There’s nothing else to tell.”
His tone was blasé, but I didn’t miss the guarded flicker in
his eyes or the tense tick of his jaw. When I felt him slapping
another layer of protection around his fortress, I dropped the
topic. One day I’d coax out all his secrets and destroy his darn
walls.
When we reached the table, he held out my chair and
helped me get settled before claiming the seat beside me.
“Yo, Ross. We’re in a private dining room.” Syd smirked.
“You don’t have to play doting boyfriend for us.”
“I was being polite, asshole,” Ross bit out. “You should
give it a try sometime.”
“Hey, I’m polite,” the bass player countered. “I ask every
woman if she’s ready for me to rock her world before I stick
my—”
“How about we start with some appetizers?” Quinn
interrupted with a censuring frown.
When I skimmed the menu, I felt as if I was reading
Sanskrit. While I assumed white truffle caviar, sushi, and
scallops were some sort of seafood, I wasn’t sure. The only
food I recognized was chicken, but it was glazed with some
kind of tomato, olive, balsamic, feta -sauce that sounded just
awful.
“The shrimp scampi and seared scallops sound
scrumptious,” Sofia moaned.
While I’d heard of shrimp before, the only kind of scallops
I knew about graced the neckline of my shirts. I darted a
sidelong glance at Ross, who was engrossed in his menu, and
hoped he was still willing to help.
Only one way to find out.
I leaned in close and whispered, “What’s a scallop?”
He cocked his head, studying me for several long seconds.
“You don’t grow scallops in your garden?”
“They’re a vegetable?”
“No. They live in a shell in the ocean.” A crooked smile
slowly tugged his oh-so-perfect mouth, and a hint of humor
danced in his dark eyes. “I’m just messing with you.”
If I wasn’t reeling so hard from Ross dropping his guard
enough to actually crack half a smile and tease me, I would
have jumped from my chair and danced around the room.
Afraid to disturb this delicate but incredibly important
moment, I sent him a sassy grin. “And you call Syd a smart-
ass.”
A rusty laugh burst from the back of Ross’s throat.
The room turned deathly quiet as everyone around the
table stopped talking at once. Then as if witnessing the birth of
a unicorn, they each locked a stunned stare on Ross.
“Holy shit, she did it,” Darren whispered in unmistakable
awe.
As fast as the buds of Ross’s lightheartedness had
bloomed, they withered and died when he bristled and
scowled. “What the fuck is your problem?”
Everyone looked away except Burk, who answered in a
voice thick with emotion. “A fond and distant memory,
brother.”
The lead singer lifted his menu to shield his emotions, but
his heart-aching sadness rushed through me, bringing with it
an enlightening revelation.
My job was more complex than the role of disingenuous
girlfriend. More than helping Ross learn to embrace light and
love. I also had to exhume the long-lost brother his bandmates
desperately missed.
Unwilling to let Ross fully retreat, I cocked a brow and
smiled. “So, what do scallops taste like?”
“Mild. Similar to lobster but the texture is different.”
When I started laughing softly, Ross rolled his eyes. “You’ve
never tasted lobster, either, have you?”
“Nope,” I laughed. “But I’m never going to turn down the
chance to try something new.”
 CHAPTER SEVEN

Ross

I ’d love to give you something new to try, little girl.

Something thick and hard. Something guaranteed to make
you whimper, moan, and beg all night long.
“Being adventurous is a good thing.”
And the fact that she’d never tasted lobster or scallops or
nearly any other dish on the menu made me want to show her
all the glorious things she’d been missing…besides sex.
Which I was ninety-nine-point-nine percent certain she hadn’t
experienced yet, either. The thought of being the first to coat
my cock in her virgin cream…
Betty White naked…Betty White naked.
I didn’t have anything against the aging actress, but she
looked exactly like my grandma—god rest her soul—and was
the only sure cure to shut down the forbidden sexual images of
Harmony spooling in my head.
But even wrinkled body parts couldn’t erase the sound of
Harmony’s lighthearted laughter stamping my senses. Or dim
the unfettered happiness glowing on her angelic face now
branding my brain.
Simply being close to her had lessened the panic that had
lit me up outside. After I’d peeled the redheaded exec-u-chick
off my crotch, I’d turned to find Harmony gone. Terror had
punched me in the gut. The memories of that scumbag piece of
shit who’d pinned her up against the wall this morning were
still fresh in my head, making me crazy with the need to
protect her. Heart in my throat, I’d tossed down the marker and
started scanning the crowd. But I couldn’t find Harmony
anywhere. It wasn’t until I’d started yelling her name that
Burk rushed toward me to say she was inside the restaurant
with Sofia.
Relief had landed such a brutal blow I’d nearly dropped to
my knees.
I knew then I was in over my head.
When we entered the restaurant, I was scrambling for a
way to atone for my cruel behavior. I couldn’t keep acting like
a raging douchebag. Harmony might have signed up for this
gig—why, I had no clue and aimed to find out—but she didn’t
need to deal with my shitty attitude.
Extending an olive branch sounded good in theory. But I
didn’t know how to tone down my overwhelming need to
protect her or deal with the unending ache to strip her bare,
whisper filthy things in her ear as she shattered all over my
tongue, fingers, and cock.
The tempting nymph was shredding my control, which was
terrifyingly dangerous.
I couldn’t give in to my basal desires without destroying
the very virtues—like her captivating innocence, kind and
caring disposition, and unjaded purity—that turned me inside
out. Of course, I’d be a lying motherfucker if I said I didn’t
want to wrap her in my arms and prove there was far more to
life than gardens, canning, and cheese.
Discovering that Harmony lived on a farm wasn’t that
much of a shock. It explained a whole lot. Like why she didn’t
wear makeup, twirl her hair in some fancy do, cover her
smoking-hot body in designer clothes, or reek of some high-
end perfume. Harmony didn’t need any of that shit anyway.
She glowed with natural beauty. It was as if the sun had kissed
her cheeks and sprinkled fragments of the sky to dance in her
unique blue eyes.
 Even more intriguing was the fact I hadn’t offended her
about being innocent, yet scrawling my name on those other
women clearly bothered her…and had maybe made her a bit
jealous.
If she knew the truth, her little green monster wouldn’t
ever raise its head.
“Do they have a strong fish taste?” Harmony turned her
face up to me, and I locked onto her big blue eyes, then
skipped lower to the ripe bow of her mouth. Christ, I wanted
to sink my teeth into that plump flesh, tug it, then suck it into
my mouth.
What the hell were we talking about? Oh, yeah, scallops…
right.
“Okay,” I said softly while the others chattered on about…
whatever. I didn’t care. I had Harmony’s undivided attention
and liked it. “Scallops are kind of sweet and buttery, and
they’re soft and delicate.” Like you.
The words lay singeing the tip of my tongue, but I bit them
back.
Being nice to Harmony while maintaining safe boundaries
was going to be hard enough. I didn’t need to blur the lines by
spewing poetic shit.
“They sound delicious, but I think I’ll stick with the
chicken.”
I wrinkled my nose. “It sounds good on the menu, but it’s
really sort of bland.”
“I didn’t know that you’d eaten here before?”
“Yeah, lots of times. I was born and raised in New York.”
I watched her mentally digest that nugget of info as a
hundred questions skipped through her brain. But she didn’t
ask a single one. Harmony simply lowered her lashes, nibbled
the inside of her lip, and studied the menu again.
“What should I get?”
“You’ve had steak before, right?”
 Of course she has, dumbass. She lives on a farm.
“Yes. I did last night. Quinn ordered room service for me.
It was delicious.”
“Was that the first time you’d ever had steak?” The
question rolled off my tongue before I could stop it. When
Harmony nodded, it was my turn for a hundred questions to
circle my brain. Ironically, I didn’t ask a single one, either,
simply nodded. “The filet mignon is really tender and juicy.”
“Okay. I’ll have steak then. Thanks.”
When she turned and joined Mia and Sofia’s conversation,
disappointment I had no right feeling invaded my system.
Pretending to be deciding on an entrée, I stared at my menu
while getting lost in Harmony’s sweet southern drawl and
carefree laughter.
On the other side of me, Darren leaned in close. “You
doing okay?”
“Yeah, man. I’m good.”
“Harmony did an amazing job at the interview.”
Too good. And the sexuality she displayed is seriously
fucking with my libido.
“I know.”
“If she keeps playing her part like that, you’ll be free of
her in no time.”
I nodded as a coil of dread unraveled in my gut.
I didn’t want to be free of her…not yet.
While we’d only been thrown together for less than a day,
Harmony was unlike any woman I’d ever met. The fact that
she didn’t have an agenda or expected a single thing from me
was like a breath of fresh air.
Harmony tossed back her head, and the sound of her
throaty laughter filled the air…taunting my beast, testing my
resolve, and igniting my cells.
 My attraction to her was beyond feral. It was primal,
basal…a fucking elemental caveman demand. An ominous
chill spread through me, and I wrapped the danger of her
allure in double-thick chains.
When the appetizers arrived and we started passing them
around the table, I inwardly grinned as Harmony timidly
plucked an item off each platter and set them on her small
plate. Her little brows furrowed as she studied each appetizer
as if it contained the meaning of life.
Cutting into the goat cheese ravioli, she inspected the
creamy filling with her fork before drawing it to her nose.
After a tiny sniff, she nibbled off a bite then closed her eyes
and sighed in delight. When she polished off the pasta, she
examined the thick, fluffy crab cake. Two chews later, she
wrinkled her pert little nose, grabbed a glass of water, and
quickly washed it down.
The starters on my own plate were getting cold, but I
didn’t care. I was too enthralled watching Harmony’s animated
reactions as she stepped outside her comfort zone.
When she sliced into a scallop and speared one half with
her fork, I held my breath as she lifted it to her mouth and took
a sparrow-sized bite. Her eyes grew wide, then she quickly
parted her lips and slid the rest onto her wet, pink tongue. My
cock twitched. And when she wrapped her plump lips around
the fork and issued a moan of unadulterated pleasure, it
stretched and hardened.
I needed to stop watching her before I had to make a trek
to the men’s room and jack off. Sadly, even a court order
couldn’t force my gaze off the sight of her slender throat
working the tender mollusk down. I knew then and there how
erotic she would look gliding those lips over my cock and
swallowing my seed. The temperature in the room shot up a
couple thousand degrees. Grabbing a glass of water, I guzzled
the cold liquid to put my fire out.
“What is this delicious thing?” She pointed to the other
piece on her plate.
 Fuck. Any second now, she’d lay the other half on her
tongue and make me suffer part deux of cock-throbbing Food
Porn.
I swallowed the lust thickening my throat. “That’s a
scallop.”
“Wow,” she whispered. “You were right. They are mild,
sweet, and buttery, and mmm, so good. I have a new favorite
food.”
“What’s it replacing?”
“Bacon.”
Well, what do you know? We actually had something in
common.
“That’s at the top of my list, too.” I nodded as the waiter
returned with our food.
Harmony looked at the filet in front of her, then slid a
longing glance at my scallops. Without a word, I reached over
and lifted her plate away, sliding mine in its place.
“What are you doing?” Her blue eyes flashed wide.
“Trading.”
“B-but…this is your meal,” she said, waving at the plate.
“You want steak instead of your new favorite food?”
“No, but…”
“Then it’s settled.” To keep her from protesting any
further, I sliced into the tender fillet and popped a piece in my
mouth.
“You’re too kind.” Her expression softened and she smiled
in gratitude.
From across the table, Quinn cleared his throat.
I glanced up to see a gloating, cocky I told you so, smile
stretched across his lips. Narrowing my eyes, I discreetly
flipped him the middle finger, then polished off the rest of my
steak.
 Kenny ducked out early to unlock the coach. A few
minutes later, stomachs full and the three ladies each clutching
small gold bags containing their desserts, we left the
restaurant. As usual, someone had tipped off the press. They
started swarming around us like bees and screaming questions
as if we were all deaf.
Just as I released Harmony’s hand to wrap my arm around
her waist, an eager reporter charged forward, knocking her
straight to the ground.
The sight of her petite body skipping over the rough
pavement along with her terrified cry filling the air sent a blast
of white-hot fury exploding through me. A roar of rage tore
from my chest as I grabbed the cockbag by his throat and
lifted him off the ground. All around me screams, gasps, and
my band brothers’ curses echoed in my ears.
Hoisting the prick above my head, I tossed him like a
javelin, taking a handful of media monsters to the ground with
him. Then I spun on my heel and rushed toward Harmony,
who was still crumpled on the ground. Blood seeped from her
elbow and pain wracked her face. Tears pooled in her eyes, but
she bravely blinked them away as the rest of our group rushed
to help.
“I’ve got her,” I snarled.
Harnessing my fury, I bent and lifted her into my arms and
gently cradled her against my chest. As I strode toward the
bus, ignoring the people scurrying from my path like rats,
Harmony wrapped her arms around my neck.
“Wait,” she cried, pointing to the mangled gold bag on the
ground. “My carrot cake.”
“I’ll get you more, princess,” I bit out in a semi-civil tone.
“I’ll call the restaurant and have them deliver an entire cake
for you to the hotel.”
“You’d really do that for me?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh, Ross,” she whispered, then shook her head. “You
don’t have to carry me, I can walk.”
 “I know, but I’m not giving anyone else the chance to hurt
you.”
No one but you, right? mocked a little voice in my head.
Harmony didn’t argue, simply rested her head on my
shoulder and closed her eyes.
Something inside me shifted and a warmth I hadn’t felt in
forever began melting the ice in my veins. She felt so right
snuggled up against me, yet at the same time, so terrifyingly
wrong.
Ignoring the tendrils of panic webbing my system, I
focused on Quinn’s voice behind me, cursing the paparazzi
and barking at the others to get on the bus.
As I sprinted up the stairs of the coach, Kenny wasn’t
behind the wheel.
You picked a bad time to take a shit, man.
“Bring her back here, Ross,” he yelled from the rear of the
bus. “I saw what that prick did to her. I’ve got the first aid kit
ready for you.”
Thank fuck.
Kenny was more than our driver; he was like an older
brother. When Sofia joined us, he’d taken her under his wing
like a father. Looked like he was doing the same with
Harmony now.
As I headed toward the sleeping berths, I knew it was no
coincidence that Kenny had placed the first aid kit on my
bunk.
Since I first laid eyes on Harmony this morning, fantasies
of her splayed out on my bed had been rolling around in my
head. Unfortunately, the scenario of her hurt and bleeding
hadn’t been one of my twisted visuals.
Kenny hurried toward the front of the coach while I
carefully sat down beside Harmony and brushed the soft,
golden hair from her face. Both of our shirts were stained with
the blood still oozing from her elbow, and as I grabbed the
antiseptic wipes, I scanned a cursory glance over her body to
see if she had any other injuries.
I didn’t see any, but… “Do you hurt anywhere besides
your elbow?”
“My hand,” she replied, turning her scraped and bleeding
palm up to me.
“Oh, princess. He fucked you up good.”
The rage I’d locked in a cage threatened to break free. Part
of me wanted to charge off the bus and end the cocksucker for
good, but a bigger part wanted to stay and take care of
Harmony. The heavy footfalls and bitter curses spiking the air
told me the others were onboard now. Relief spread through
me. I wanted nothing more than to get her back to the safety of
the hotel.
Sofia rushed in beside us, worry written all over her face.
“Do we need to take her to Bellevue?”
“What’s Bellevue?” Harmony asked.
“A hospital,” I replied.
“No.” Harmony blanched and shook her head. “It’s just a
scrape. Please…I don’t want to go to a hospital.”
“You don’t have to.” The panic rolling off her felt like a
roundhouse kick to the heart. “We’ll patch you up on the way
back to the hotel. All right?”
“Yes. Thank you.”
“I’ll get a warm washcloth from the bathroom,” Sofia said
before darting away.
Quinn moved in beside me and bent to look in on
Harmony. When he saw the blood, his nostrils flared. “That
fucking cock-sucking… I’m going to sue his balls off. When
I’m finished with him, I’ll own that goddamn television
station.”
He pulled out his cell phone and growled, “Take care of
her. I need to rip balls.”
As he stormed away, Harmony started to giggle.
 “What’s so damn funny?”
“Him…you.”
“Me? What the hell have I done?”
“Rescued me again…thank you, by the way. But you look
like you want to”— Harmony lowered her voice to a whisper
—“rip balls, too.”
“Trust me, princess. I want to do a whole lot more than rip
that bastard’s balls off.”
She softly tsked. “An eye for an eye only achieves
blindness.”
“Yeah, well, sadly, I’m not as forgiving as—”
“Oh, no…your shirt,” Harmony interrupted. “I’ve ruined
it.”
“You didn’t do shit. And don’t worry about my shirt. I’ve
got plenty more. The one thing I don’t have is another you.”
Harmony lowered her lashes as a crimson blush stained her
cheeks. I wanted to reach out and cup them…feel the warmth
against my palms.
“You don’t have to keep acting, Ross. It’s just us here
now.”
“I…” Don’t be a dick and encourage her. You know you
can’t have her. The infuriating voice in my head was right.
Biting my lips together, I simply nodded as Sofia returned
with several towels.
A minute later, Mia joined our little first aid party, and
together—as Quinn continued to yell and curse into his phone,
the bus crawled through traffic, and each of the guys came
back to check on our patient—we cleaned off the blood,
doctored the scrapes, and bandaged Harmony’s wounds.
After Sofia retrieved a clean Licks of Leather tee from the
closet, I left so Harmony could change without me ogling her.
Then, working to bleed the remaining rage from my bones, I
joined the others who were silently eavesdropping on Quinn,
still ranting and raving into his phone.
 “Is Harmony doing all right?” Burk asked quietly.
“You tell me. She’s been attacked twice in one day. Twice,
on her first fucking day in New York…her first fucking day on
the job,” I snarled before blowing out a hard sigh and dragging
a hand over my head. “What the fuck is going to happen to her
when we’re on stage tomorrow night?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll ask Sofia to stick to her like glue. If
anyone tries messing with Harmony with Sofia around, they’ll
wish they hadn’t. My girl is scary vicious when she’s pissed.”
“Thanks.”
He opened his mouth to say more but simply nodded as
Kenny eased the coach to a stop in front of the hotel.
Unwilling to take any chances, I waited for Harmony to
descend the stairs, then tucked her in tight against my side and
entered the lobby.
“There you are, Rosner. I was about to instruct Bernard to
take me back to the penthouse.”
I swung my head toward the sound of my mother’s
pretentious voice. As I locked eyes on her, my blood turned to
ice. Dread pinged my system. My legs tried to move, but my
feet were frozen to the glimmering tile beneath them.
“Afternoon, Mrs. Walker,” Burk greeted with a fake-as-
fuck smile, giving me time to pull myself together and shove
my shock down. “It’s a pleasure to see you as always.”
Of course, he was lying. Being anywhere near the cold,
contemptuous bitch was a fucking nightmare.
Sylvia Rosner Walker arched a sculpted brow, looked
down her nose at the singer, and flashed a brittle smile.
“Likewise, Burton.”
“My name is Burk,” he corrected, lips straining tightly.
“Who’s that woman?” Harmony whispered.
Dismissing the man with a wave of her hand, Sylvia
studied me, or rather my arm banded around Harmony’s waist.
My mother’s brittle smile morphed into a cynical sneer as she
regarded the girl with the same disdain she did toward her
hired help.
The shrieking demand to shield Harmony from my
mother’s venomous wrath punched me from my stupor.
But before I could open my mouth to confront her, Sylvia’s
eyes slid to my blood-covered shirt.
“Aren’t you a little old for barroom brawls, Rosner?” she
tsked.
I clenched my jaw as Harmony darted a visibly confused
glance between Sylvia and me.
Holding my mother with an icy glare, I eased Harmony
from my side. “Burk, would you and Sofia please escort Har
—” I snapped my mouth shut to keep from saying her name.
I’d be damned if I was going to hand my mother a silver bullet
she could lock and load in her judgmental rifle. “Make sure
my girl gets safely back to her room?”
“Don’t send her away yet, Rosner,” Sylvia cooed.
Her softening expression accentuated her stunning beauty,
which was nothing but a façade. Much like the delicate orchid
mantis, Mother lured her unsuspecting prey in with a blinding
smile before the carnivorous bitch devoured them whole.
“I’m very disappointed in you.” When haven’t you been?
“You haven’t even introduced me to your little…friend.”
And I didn’t plan to, either.
“What are you doing here, Mother?” I bit out curtly.
 CHAPTER EIGHT

Harmony

M other?
That…woman is Ross’s mother?
My eyes grew wide and my jaw nearly hit the floor as
shock waves rippled from the tips of my toes to the top of my
head and back again. The tall, willowy blonde with flawless
skin and glistening ruby-red lips was exquisitely beautiful. Her
sophistication commanded the attention of everyone in the
lobby. From the outside, she shimmered like the twinkling
diamonds adorning her ears, neck, wrists, and fingers. But the
black tailored pants, tweed herringbone blazer, and leather
clutch gripped in her manicured fingers couldn’t camouflage
the pure evil spilling from her soul.
The resentment and anger bleeding off Ross merged with
the malevolent darkness of his mother and filled the air with a
choking thick, toxic cloud.
“Since you’re habitually unable to carve any time from
your busy schedule to visit your own mother when you’re in
New York, I rearranged mine to come see you.”
Oh, wow. This explains a lot…a whole lot.
“Now that you’ve seen me, you can leave.” Ross’s tone
was flat, void of all emotion.
She let out a catty chuckle. “I see your sense of humor has
returned, that or your wit is still pharmaceutically induced.”
 A muscle in Ross’s jaw ticked as he turned and started to
walk away.
“Rosner Malcom Walker, don’t you dare turn your back on
me. I raised you better than that.”
Pausing, he tossed an arctic glare over his shoulder. “You
didn’t raise me, Sylvia, the nannies did. Take care, Mom.”
As Ross started to walk away again, Sofia moved in beside
me. Her eyes were filled with sadness as she looped her arm
through mine.
“Wait,” Sylvia called as she hurried toward Ross and
grabbed his arm. “Don’t go. I know you’re still angry with me,
but please…let’s have lunch and…talk.”
“I already ate.”
“Then come to the penthouse this evening. I’ll hire
Sebastian to make us something decadent for dinner.”
“We have rehearsal tonight.”
“What time?”
“Eight.”
“Then we’ll eat at five. Bernard can pick you up and bring
you back to the hotel, and please…bring your girl. I’d love to
meet her.” Sylvia darted a glance my way that was anything
but inviting.
“You’re inviting the black sheep to dinner? Why? Are you
dying or something?”
“Rosner, please. We haven’t spent any time together in
years.” As he opened his mouth to respond, she held up her
hand. “I know…I know, I’m partially to blame for that. But
I’m here to extend an olive branch. Surely you’re not going to
toss it back in my face. Or are you?”
“Stop trying to manipulate me,” Ross growled. “It doesn’t
work anymore.”
“Fine. Do you need me to beg?”
 A humorless scoff rolled off his lips. “You don’t know
how.”
“Let’s stop airing our dirty laundry in public.”
“Because you’d rather, what…do that in the privacy of
your penthouse?”
“No. I don’t want to rehash the past, Rosner. I just want to
spend time with my son. Please…bring your girl and come to
dinner.”
“I’ll think about it.” He turned, dismissing his mother
Then locked an icy stare on me as he ate up the distance
between us and extended his hand. “Come on, I’ll take you to
your room.”
Hand in hand, we walked past his mother, who pinned me
with a pleading expression.
“Please, convince him to come.” When I didn’t respond,
she turned her desperation on Ross. “Bernard will be waiting
outside at five. Please…don’t make him return alone.”
I bit my lips together and remained silent until we were in
the elevator, alone. “I’m sorry, Ross.”
Confusion wrinkled his brow. “What the hell are you sorry
for?”
“That you had to grow up with a woman like that. She’s
not a nice person.”
A humorless chuckle peeled off his lips. “No, she’s not.
She’s a raging bitch.”
It probably wasn’t the time to begin chipping at his walls,
but if I didn’t start soon, I might never reach him.
“Is she the reason you’re so angry all the time?”
He scowled and frowned. “I’m not angry…all the time.”
His attempt to deflect my question wasn’t a surprise. I
fully expected him to tell me to mind my own business. But
since he wasn’t completely slamming the door in my face, I
pressed forward.
 “Are you going to join her for dinner tonight?”
“Don’t you mean we?”
“I didn’t want to assume. I-I didn’t think you’d want me
there.”
“I’m sure as fuck never stepping foot in her lair alone.”
The big, strong, proud man was unconsciously asking for
my help.
“I’d be honored to go with you.” To support and protect
you.
Ross blinked. “Why would you want to do that?”
“So you don’t have to face her alone.”
“I’m not a child or a coward.”
“I wasn’t insinuating you were. I’m simply offering to go
with you so you won’t have to go alone.”
“Why?”
Because I’m trying to save your stubborn, guarded, closed-
off soul.
I shrugged and smirked. “Because watching you two spar
would be a lot more entertaining than sitting in my room
clicking channels on TV.”
Another rusty laugh tore from the back of his throat.
“Kenny was right. For a little thing, you got a lot of moxie.”
A sliver of pride slid through me as we reached my room.
“Do you want to come in? We could sit out on the terrace
and…talk.”
“No. But I’ll take you up on your offer to join me for
dinner with Mommy Dearest. If you’re still willing, that is.”
“I am, but I’m curious about something.”
“What?”
“Are you doing this for her or yourself?”
 His lips pressed to a thin, tight line before he exhaled a
heavy sigh. “I’ll meet you in the lobby at five.”
“See you then.” As I stepped inside my suite, Ross turned
and walked away.
The door was still shutting behind me as I raced to the
bedroom. Even before I started eyeing my clothes in the
closet, dread swirled. I didn’t own a single stitch of anything
that resembled elegant.
Seeds of panic were in full bloom when there was a knock
at my door. After hurrying from the bedroom, I peered out the
peephole, then invited Sofia and Burk inside.
“We wanted to make sure you were all right.” Sofia
studied me intently. “But you look…frazzled.”
“I am.” I didn’t bother trying to hide my anxiety.
“What happened?” Burk scowled. “What did Ross do?”
“Ross?” I blinked. “He didn’t do anything. I’m freaking
out because I only have sixty dollars and nothing nice enough
to wear to his mom’s place for dinner tonight. Is there a
discount clothing store—”
“Wait. He’s actually going to have dinner with that viper?”
Burk barked out.
“We are having dinner with that viper,” I corrected,
snapping my focus on Sofia. “You wouldn’t happen to have
something fancy I could borrow, would you?”
She compared her lush curves to my thinner frame.
“Sweetheart, first of all, we’re in New York. Sixty dollars isn’t
enough to buy a pair of underwear. Secondly, even if I’d
packed a few designer things, they’d fall right off you. I have a
better idea, but we’re going to need Mia’s input…and a black
card.”
When she sent Burk a sad-puppy dog expression, he
simply shook his head and grinned. Then pulled out his wallet
and handed her a credit card. “Have fun and make sure to get
yourself something…naughty.”
She lifted to her toes and kissed him hard. “I love you.”
 “Yeah? I’ll let you show me how much after rehearsal.”
“You’re on, baby.” Sofia sent him a sultry smile and waved
as Burk strolled from the suite. “Okay, I’m going to call Mia
first, a limo service second, then we’ll hit every boutique in
Lower Manhattan.”
“I’ll pay you back, as soon as I—”
“No, you won’t. It’s a gift from Burk and me.”
“I can’t just let you spend—”
“Fine. You want to pay me back?” I nodded. “Then while
the guys are rehearsing tonight, tell me every detail about your
dinner with Ross and that snag-nasty bitch.”
I cringed. “Ross wouldn’t like me sharing that with
anyone.”
“You’re right. Damn.” Sofia sighed. “Okay, then you have
to let me and Mia escort you to the lobby when we’re done…
creating, so we can see the look on Ross’s face when he sees
what a hot, sexy siren we’ve made of you.”
“I’ve never looked hot, let alone sexy, in my life, but okay.
If that’s all you want…deal.”
“Don’t underestimate the powers of the sisterhood.”
“All right, but I have to meet Ross at five.”
Sofia checked the time on her phone and gasped. “Oh, shit.
We gotta haul ass.”
Twenty minutes later, Mia handed a list of addresses to the
driver, then the three of us piled into the back of another glitzy
limo. We talked, laughed, and sipped champagne while
searching for the perfect outfit.
Ironically, we found it at our second stop. Mia called it a
bandage dress. The clingy, black, slit-straps and wide off-the-
shoulder collar certainly hugged every curve of my body like a
bandage. The black lace bra Sofia picked out for me pushed
my breasts up, forming a risqué valley and giving me cleavage
for the first time in my life. Though the dress reeked class, it
didn’t leave anything to the imagination. I felt more than a
little exposed, and not simply because of my newfound
cleavage.
While Mia and I were checking out the shoes, Sofia
purchased the dress and undergarments, then we piled back
into the limo and opened another bottle of champagne.
“When Ross sees you in that dress, his jaw is going to hit
the floor.” Sofia grinned.
“And his cock is going to burst through his jeans.” Mia
giggled.
I didn’t have the heart to tell her that Ross wasn’t
interested in me sexually—though I secretly fantasized him
doing all kinds of naughty things to me in bed—and that he
simply tolerated me…thus far.
“I love that you’ll be wearing Chanel tonight. It’s such a
delicious underhanded dig to that snotty bitch,” Sofia
chuckled.
“You got a wicked catty side to you, woman… I like it.”
Mia grinned.
“Can’t help it.” She shrugged. “That hateful bitch is
messing with Ross. Nobody messes with my family.”
“I like the momma lion side of you.” I laughed. “But back
up a minute. What did you mean by a delicious underhanded
dig?”
“Sylvia was wearing Chanel at the hotel,” Mia explained.
“That little black number you’ll be wearing tonight is also
Chanel. And it looks a zillion times better on you than it does
that manky bitch.”
“Manky?” I asked.
“It’s a Nigel-ism.” A bittersweet smile tugged her lips.
“It’s British for disgusting.”
“What do we have left on the list?” Sofia asked,
redirecting what I could tell were heartbreaking memories for
Mia.
 I made a mental note to do some research on the up-and-
coming star’s past while Mia studied her phone.
“Shoes, clutch, and makeup,” she announced.
“Makeup?” I blanched. “I-I’ve never worn makeup in my
life.”
“Don’t worry,” she assured. “I can wield a set of brushes
like a pro. I love doing makeup. I think I might have been a
cosmetologist in a past life.”
Three shops later, we had everything on Mia’s list. When
we returned to the hotel, I was feeling a bit buzzed from the
champagne, but it definitely kept my angst tempered.
As we entered the lobby, Sofia checked the time on her
phone, again. “Yikes. We’ve got an hour and a half to put
Cinderella together before she faces off with the Wicked
Witch of the West.”
“Piece of cake,” Mia assured. “You two haul ass up to
Harmony’s room so she can shower, shampoo, and shave. I’ll
swing by my room and grab my blow dryer, flat iron, and
makeup bag…in case we forgot something critical.”
“What could you have forgotten?” I grinned. “You bought
every cleanser, palette, brush, and blush in the cosmetics
store.”
“A girl can never have enough eye shadow palettes.” She
winked.
Once in my suite, I stripped and showered while Sofia laid
my clothes on the bed and arranged the multitude of beauty
products on the nearby desk. After wrapping up in the big
fluffy robe the hotel provided, I stepped from the bathroom
and found the two women looking as if they were armed for
war. Mia gripped a blow dryer in her hand, while Sofia
clutched a can of something called root pump.
Sending up a silent prayer, I sat down, and the makeover
commenced.
Sofia twisted sections of my hair in hot tongs, called a flat
iron, while Mia applied lotions and oils and finally makeup to
my face, complementing my flawless skin.
Long minutes later, Mia dragged a wand of shiny red
lipstick over my lips as Sofia stuck another bobby pin in my
hair and unleashed a cloud of spray to the curls.
“Shit,” she bit out. “We’ve got six minutes to get her into
that dress and downstairs.”
“I’m done,” Mia said, dropping the lipstick and tossing her
hands in the air.
“Scooch out of the way. Let me see,” Sofia said, nudging
Mia’s hip. Her jaw dropped open. “Oh, holy… You’re right.
Ross will definitely be sporting some major wood.”
“Let me see.” Butterflies were fluttering in my stomach.
“Not yet.” Mia shook her head. “Not till we get you in
your dress.”
“Let’s go. Let’s go. Let’s go,” Sofia chanted.
Mia tugged off my robe while Sofia tossed me the bra and
panties. While Sofia came at me with the dress gathered in her
fists, Mia fastened my bra. Together, they drew the soft,
stretchy fabric up my body. Mia showed me how to lift and
plump my breasts to amplify my cleavage. Then Sofia bent
and guided my feet into the pair of classic black stilettos.
“Wait. I need to cover that scrape on your elbow.” Mia
dabbed some kind of concealer on the reddened scab, then
dusted it with some powder, and it magically disappeared.
Sofia moved in beside her before they both looked me up
and down, grinning from ear to ear.
“Damn, we’re good.” Mia giggled.
“Can I see now?”
“Yes. Yes,” they chanted together.
When I stepped in front of the mirrored closet door, my
jaw nearly hit the floor. I knew the woman looking back was
me, but she didn’t look a thing like me. She looked like a…
princess.
 Princess.
Ross called me that, a lot…often cynically. Maybe tonight
he would call me princess again…and mean it.
“Come on. Grab your clutch. We’ve got three minutes.”
Nerves singing and dread mounting, I rode the elevator
with them to the lobby. Sofia and Mia were chattering and
placing bets on Ross’s reaction. I prayed he didn’t send me
back to my room to change into jeans and a tee. Panic spiked
as I realized I’d never even asked him if I was supposed to
wear something nice. I’d just assumed… Oh, dear.
“I’m overdressed,” I blurted as the elevator doors opened.
“No. You’re gorgeous,” Sofia assured.
“What if this is all too much?”
“It’s not.” Sofia shook her head. “That cow needs to see
you’re more than Ross’s girlfriend.”
“She needs to see that you’re his…lady,” Mia whispered.
Tears stung my eyes. “I’m not. I’m just a well-paid fake.
But thank you. Thank you both so much for doing all this for
me.”
“You don’t have to thank us. Seeing Ross’s reaction is all
the thanks I need.” Sofia hugged me and whispered in my ear,
“I know it’s probably going to be hard, but try to have fun.”
I nodded, sucked in a deep breath, and bravely walked
toward the lobby.
Grinning like a couple of schoolgirls, Sofia and Mia pulled
out their phones, then hid behind a thick marble pillar.
Ross was standing near the front door, engrossed in
something on his phone.
Heart fluttering, I studied the sharp lines of his profile…
his sculpted jaw, the slope of his masculine nose, and even
took in the curve of his ears. Drowning in every manly inch of
him, I skimmed my eyes over his fitted black blazer, sky-blue
button-down oxford, and the denim jeans hugging his
muscular thighs.
 My heart was racing, my mouth was watering, and tiny
tingles erupted between my legs.
The tap of my heels echoing against the marble floor
finally captured his attention.
Ross raised his head and swung it my way.
I held my breath.
As astonishment crawled across his face, I forced myself
to keep walking, even though the intensity of his dark gaze
was stripping me bare and making me feel strangely naked and
exposed. Wings of doubt fluttered through me, but I continued
making my way toward him.
A shadow of a smile tugged the corners of his mouth. The
sight of his undeniable approval sent warmth spreading
through me, chasing all my reservations away.
Though still a few feet from him, I physically felt him suck
in a ragged breath. Breaking free of his trance, Ross pocketed
his phone and ate up the distance between us.
“Jesus,” he whispered.
He dragged a stare over the lose curls, artfully swept up
high on my head and spilling down my back. Studying the
contours of my face, he paused, taking in my red, glossy lips.
As if lost in another trance, he lifted a hand and dragged the
tip of his finger from one end of my collarbone to the other,
leaving a trail of sparks along my skin.
A barely perceptible growl rumbled in the back of his
throat before he blinked and licked his lips. “You look…
Jesus.”
“Like a princess?” I prompted. Ross nodded. “I feel like
one, too.”
“It’s not right,” he growled, shaking his head.
Dread pummeled me from every direction.
“What? The dress? The shoes? I-I can go back upstairs and
—”
“No,” he barked. “You look…like a fucking angel.”
 “I don’t understand. What isn’t right?”
“That I have to take such a stunning…beauty to Sylvia’s
and subject you to her caustic, cutting cruelty.”
I sent him a comforting smile. “Like I said on the bus, I’m
not made of glass.”
“No, you’re more like fine crystal.”
My heart was still melting when he glanced toward the
street, seemingly embarrassed for bestowing the compliment.
When a long black limo stopped at the curb, he exhaled a
heavy sigh. “Are you sure you really want to be a part of this
shit show?”
I smirked. “Isn’t that why everyone comes to New York…
to see a show?”
“Don’t know any who’d want to pay money for the one
you’re about to see.”
“You can still change your mind.”
Ross shook his head. “I’ve put this off long enough.”
“Is that our ride?” I asked, glancing at the limo.
“Yeah.” He bitterly nodded before extending his elbow.
“Shall we?”
“You’re welcome,” Mia and Sofia called out with a giggle.
Ross sent the pair a sidelong glance and shook his head.
I tucked my arm through his and together we stepped out
onto the sidewalk.
The moment he locked eyes on Bernard—a mid-fifties,
broad-shouldered man wearing a black suit, a glossy-billed
hat, and wide, glowing smile—all the tension bled from Ross’s
body.
“It is…wonderful to finally…see you again, Mr. Walker.”
Bernard’s voice quivered as tears swelled in his green eyes.
“What’s with the Mr. Walker shit, Bernie?” Ross asked in a
voice thick with matching emotion. Spreading his arms wide,
he enveloped the older man in a sturdy hug and clapped him
on the back. “It’s fucking good to see you again. I’ve missed
the hell out of you, dear friend.”
The force of undeniable love swirling and circling them
brought tears to my eyes. Ross clung to the man for several
long, heartwarming minutes. Clearly, Bernie was an integral
part of his life, or had been. I didn’t know how long they’d
been apart, but the fact that Ross had carved this special man
out of his life, for whatever reason, broke my heart.
When they finally parted, Bernie sniffed, wiped his eyes,
then smiled at me. “And who is this stunning beauty?”
“Ah, um…”
“I’m Harmony…Ross’s friend.” I smiled and extended my
hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Instead of shaking it, Bernie drew my fingers to his lips
and pressed a chaste kiss to my skin. “The pleasure is all mine,
Miss Harmony.”
Bernie opened the back door of the limo and Ross helped
me into the vehicle. Sliding onto the soft leather seat, I listened
as they continued to talk.
“I can’t believe you’re still here,” Ross murmured. “Don’t
get me wrong, it’s like a million Christmas mornings seeing
you again, but why the hell are you putting up with her after
all these years?”
“I made a promise to your father.”
“You mean the sperm donor.”
“If it weren’t for that donor, my life would be empty.”
Bernie lowered his voice. “It does my heart wonders to see
you with that pretty girl.”
“It’s not what you—”
“Hush. Don’t steal an old man’s hope.”
Ross chuffed, then slid in beside me.
As we pulled from the curb, his muscles tensed. “I’d
appreciate it if you didn’t mention anything about my reunion
with Bernie to Sylvia.”
 “Never.”
“Thank you. Fraternizing with the help is strictly frowned
upon, and I don’t want her to fire him.”
“Bernie means a lot to you.”
I was stating the obvious, but I hoped it might entice Ross
to open up and tell me more about the man behind the wheel.
“He’s always been more of a father to me than my own
flesh and blood.”
“How long has it been since you’ve seen him?”
“I saw him four and a half years ago, but I wasn’t able to
talk to him.”
“Because of your mother?”
Ross stared out the window for long seconds before
shaking his head. “No, because I was at the intake center
before heading to rehab and couldn’t leave the building. I’d
been in my room, waiting on paperwork and staring out the
window, wondering how I was going to un-clusterfuck my life
when I saw Sylvia’s Maybach pull to the curb.
“Bernie got out and opened the door for her. My mother
stared at the building in revulsion, then tossed her nose in the
air and stomped toward the entrance. As he closed the door, he
paused as if sensing me watching him. Then Bernie turned and
we locked eyes. He sent me a worried smile, then gave me a
thumbs-up and a sharp nod. Maybe it was the meds they’d
given me for withdrawal, but I could hear him silently telling
me, Be strong and you’ll kick this, son. And I did, because of
his faith in me.”
My heart ached and soared for him at once. Though
thrilled that Ross had given me far more honesty than I’d
anticipated, the tone of despair in his voice wrecked me.
“I need to warn you,” he announced, dragging his gaze
back from the window. “It’s probably going to get very ugly.
And Sylvia is going to malign you every way she can.”
“I’ll be fine, Ross. You catch more flies with honey than
vinegar.”
 “No, you don’t understand. Sylvia probably won’t lower
herself to even speak to you. She won’t outright insult you to
your face, she’ll do it by humiliating me.”
“For Pete’s sake, why are you throwing yourself under the
bus for me?”
“Because none of this is about you. It’s about me. I’m
done…done letting her run over me,” he snarled. “Done
having her show up at my hotel, trying to send me on some
cross-continental guilt trip. I pray to everything holy that
tonight will be the last time I ever have to lay eyes on that
hateful cunt again.”
 CHAPTER NINE

Ross

W hen I’d finished my rant, Harmony’s face was lined in

shock and horror.
Fuck. Sylvia is going to chew her up and spit her out.
Why the hell had I invited Harmony to this ugly
bloodletting?
Because you’re a coward…a lazy, selfish coward.
Christ, we were still blocks from my mother’s building,
and I was already letting the bitch crawl inside my head.
“If that’s how you feel, then I truly hope this is the last
time, if only to restore your peace of mind.” Harmony lifted
her chin.
The ball-churning sprite was already in my corner,
cheering me on, and I hadn’t even put the gloves on yet. I
hadn’t done a fucking thing to deserve her loyalty, yet she was
handing it over to me without question. Why? It was time to
get some answers.
“Why are you here?”
She blinked at me and scowled. “Because you invited me.”
“No, I mean why did you agree to let Quinn hire you?
Why did you willingly sign on for the shit show of reporters,
living on a cramped bus, hopping from town to town so fast
you wake up wondering if you’re in Cleveland or
Albuquerque?”
“Because you needed help.”
“Christ, Harmony…you don’t even know me,” I barked.
“It doesn’t matter. You’re being persecuted by the press.”
“One of us in the band is always being maligned by the
press, but I guess you already know that.”
“I didn’t, until today.”
“What do you mean?”
She lowered her lashes. The gesture was so submissive I
wanted to wrap my fist in her luscious curls and drag her to
her knees.
“Until Quinn contacted me, I’d…I’d never heard of Licks
of Leather.”
What?
The massive dent to my ego paled in comparison to the
shock clanging through me. How was it possible she’d never
heard of us? Our songs aired on thousands of radio stations all
over the world. It didn’t make any sense. Harmony lifted her
lashes and I could see shame and embarrassment swimming in
her blue pools.
Oh, no you don’t, princess. I’m not letting you beat
yourself up just because you don’t know who I am.
“Then you’re really going to enjoy the show tomorrow
night,” I assured, hoping to erase her insecurities. “But you’re
going to be watching from backstage, where you’ll be safe.
I’m sorry I didn’t do a better job of protecting you earlier.”
“It wasn’t your fault that guy was…eager.”
“He was a… How is your elbow and hand?” Harmony
showed me her wounds, but they’d been airbrushed or
something and were all but obscure. “What happened to your
scratches?”
 “Mia put some kind of powder on it after we went
shopping.”
“You and Mia went shopping?”
“With Sofia, yeah. Since I didn’t have anything
appropriate to wear to dinner tonight, they took me to some
boutiques.” She grinned. “I’ve never had so much fun in my
life. They rented a limo and we drank champagne and laughed
and talked.”
Talked? About more than just fans and paparazzi, I feared.
My stomach pitched in a sickening slide. Logically, I knew
Burk and Quinn would honor their vows and never share my
unforgivable secrets. But that didn’t lessen my worries.
Thankfully, Quinn’s attorney, Reed Landes had managed to
seal up all incriminating documentation, down to the tiniest
scrap of paper, before the press got wind of the devastating
disaster.
“Do I want to know what you three wild women
discussed?”
Harmony’s cheeks turned bright red. “Definitely not.
Those two aren’t the least bit shy about anything.”
“Anything? Like what?”
Her blush grew an even deeper shade of crimson. “Never
mind.”
“You three weren’t talking about…sex, were you?”
Harmony darted a gaze around the limo and inhaled a deep
breath. Her breasts lifted enticingly beneath the cutout V of the
sexy black dress that hugged her every curve. Ever since I saw
her strolling across the lobby, my fingers had been burning to
peel the fabric off her body, and my palm itched to fire up her
fine, lush ass cheeks.
“What do you think we’ll be having for dinner?”
I wanted to laugh at her blatant change of subject but let it
go. Even if Harmony was actually brave enough to talk about
sex, I didn’t need the frustrating distraction. I had to keep my
wits about me so I could effectively duel with the devil.
 “I’m sure the cook she’s hired has whipped up something
decadently delicious for you. I’ll be eating what Sylvia always
loads onto my plate…a big, fat helping of crow.”
“What does she want you to apologize for?”
“Living.” Sadly, that was the truth.
I stared out the window as we made our way to the Upper
West Side. Tamping down my mounting angst, I took in the
familiar picturesque neighborhoods, the tree-lined streets, and
stately brownstones.
When the limo came to a stop in front of the palatial
building I once called home, a shiver rolled up my spine. Out
of habit, I gripped the door handle, then froze.
During my rebellious teen years, I always bolted from the
car before Bernie could open my door. I wasn’t revolting
against him but my mother. It didn’t matter how often Sylvia
—who was always watching from her ivory tower—scolded,
grounded, or berated me for usurping the hired help. I did it to
save Bernie the demeaning task of catering to a little rich prick
half his age. I never wanted him to view me as an entitled brat,
again.
Releasing the handle, I waited until Bernie opened the
door. As I stepped out, we exchanged the same clandestine
wink we had when I was young and Sylvia was around. Then I
held out my hand and helped Harmony from the vehicle.
“Good luck, you two,” Bernie mumbled.
It was a given that the bitch was watching, waiting at the
window to see if I would show. But to make Bernie’s life
easier, I dipped my head—pretending to say something to
Harmony—and kept my eyes locked on the man. “Thanks.
We’ll either see you in a couple hours or a couple of minutes.”
Though his mouth remained neutral, Bernie’s eyes
twinkled as a low chuckle rumbled from his chest. “I wish I
could be a fly on the wall.”
“She’d only swat you dead,” I murmured.
 Tucking my arm around Harmony’s waist, I started toward
the same set of steps I’d raced up and down since I’d been able
to walk. The wisp of nostalgia blowing through me was
mystifying. Perhaps because I knew this was the last time I
would set foot on these hallowed stairs, my cold, isolated,
dysfunctional childhood was simply breezing through to say
goodbye.
After checking in with the doorman, Harmony and I
strolled across the Italian marble floor and into the waiting
elevator.
As the doors closed, she peered up at me. “I probably
should have asked earlier, but…am I still pretending to be
your girlfriend?”
“No. Sylvia will be taking center stage tonight, like she
always does.”
As the carriage ascended, she chuckled. “Is this where you
grew up?”
“Yes. In fact, over there”—I pointed to the corner—“is
where I whipped my dick out and pissed all over the fine
Moroccan carpet when I was fourteen.”
Harmony burst out laughing. It was like a balm soothing
the prickly edges that had been cutting through me since
Sylvia had shown up at the hotel.
“Why on earth did you do that?”
“Because I had to pee, and Sylvia told me to hold it until
we arrived at one of her stuck-up socialite benefits. Since I’d
never disrespect Bernie and piss in any of the cars, I just
unzipped, whipped it out, and let it flow.”
“You were a handful as a kid, weren’t you?”
“No.” I shook my head. “I was just screaming for love and
attention.”
Harmony blinked at me in stunned surprise.
I smirked. “You didn’t think a big ape like me was capable
of enlightenment, did you?”
 “Everyone’s capable. It’s hanging on to it and letting it
light your path that’s the hard part.”
I was just about to ask how a young, sheltered girl had
gained so much wisdom when the elevator dinged and the
door slid open.
We stepped into the foyer, and I swallowed down the ball
of dread clogging my throat. As if sensing my disquiet,
Harmony slid her hand in mine and gave it a little squeeze.
I knew then why I’d invited her. Though she frazzled my
nerves with her dazzling beauty, shook the ground beneath my
feet with her kind and gentle spirit, she also centered me in
ways I couldn’t explain or comprehend.
When the door to Sylvia’s penthouse swung open, I
expected to see Thompson, or whatever butler she now
employed. Instead, the viper herself rushed toward me…gauzy
beige designer pantsuit flowing like smoke around her.
“Oh, Rosner…you came. I’m so happy you’re here,
darling,” she cried, wrapping her arms around me in a cold,
brittle hug.
“Sylvia,” I murmured without hugging her back.
When she pulled away, she ignored Harmony and quirked
a brow. “What is your little friend’s name?”
“Does it matter?”
Harmony tensed. I squeezed her hand, hoping to reassure
her that I wasn’t negating her existence but, in fact, trying to
protect her. She’d soon learn that I’d walk through the bowels
of hell to shield her from Sylvia’s caustic, passive-aggressive
demeanor.
“Since you’ll toss her to the curb like all the others once
she’s served her purpose, I suppose not.” She shrugged.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Harmony blink and
bristle.
Easy, princess. I’ve got your back. And if I weren’t
sparring with Atilla the Hun right now, I’d be fantasizing
about your front and all the luscious parts in between, too.
 “Stop being a bitch to my girl and direct your venom on
someone who’s earned it.”
“Someone like you?” Sylvia asked with an icy smile.
“Or yourself,” I quipped.
“Constantly fencing with you is so taxing. Let’s put our
swords away, shall we?” She sniffed. “Come in, make
yourselves at home.”
As Harmony and I followed her through the portal, I
dragged a glance over the same floor-to-ceiling wraparound
windows that afforded a stunning view of Central Park. Took
in the familiar stark black-and-white art deco décor and
glanced at the shimmering blue water of the rooftop pool.
It was no surprise that my sleeping berth on the bus felt ten
times homier.
“Sebastian is putting the finishing touches on dinner. Can I
get either of you a cocktail, some wine, a glass of
champagne?”
“Champagne would be nice, thank you,” Harmony said
softly.
“Oh, my,” Sylvia tittered, eyes widening in surprise. “That
accent… Where on earth are you from, darling?”
“Kentucky,” she proudly announced.
“I didn’t know they had champagne in…Kentucky.”
“I believe it’s available in every state these days.”
Her sassy reply had me sending up a mental fist pump. “I
think I’ll have a glass of that myself.”
“Then you can pour us all one, Rosner.”
Yes, because it was beneath her to serve herself, let alone
her guests.
“Your house is very beautiful, Mrs. Walker.”
That’s it, princess. Don’t let her get under your skin. You’re
doing fine.
 “It’s not a house, dear. It’s a penthouse. And yes, I know. I
hired the finest decorators
in the world to create this masterpiece of interior
excellence,” Sylvia bragged
As I slid a glass of bubbly into Harmony’s hand, I brushed
my fingers over hers and flashed her a wink of encouragement.
She graced me with a wide smile that filled me with peace—at
least temporarily.
When I presented a flute to my mother, she moved in on
the other side of me and leaned in close to my ear. “Honestly,
Rosner. I never would have pictured you with a…hillbilly. Tell
me, did you find her in a personals ad in the back of a hunting
magazine?”
I clenched my jaw, praying that Harmony hadn’t heard the
snarky comment.
“Remember, you can take a girl out of the woods,” Sylvia
continued, “even squeeze her into a Chanel dress, but you’ll
never squeeze the woods out of the girl. She’s after your
money, darling.”
“If you invited us here to sling nasty insults, we’ll be
happy to leave.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Sylvia waved my threat away while
keeping a critical eye on the hired help filling the water glasses
at the dining table. “Dinner will be served any moment.”
“Then keep your ugly comments to yourself,” I growled,
glaring in her evil eyes.
A snide laugh bubbled in the back of her throat. Clearly,
she was delighted that she’d gotten a rise out of me. Little did
Sylvia know, I’d be the one getting the last laugh.
“Attention, everyone, my creation is complete,” Sebastian
announced.
Balancing three plates in his hand and one on his arm, the
fifty-something chef donning in a spotless apron and tall white
toque waddled to the dining table. After placing each elegantly
crafted entrée on the stark white linen tablecloth, he backed
away and flashed a triumphant smile.
“Oh, Bass,” Sylvia gushed, ushering us to the table. “It
looks simply scrumptious. What decadent delicacies have you
designed, darling?”
“Tonight, I have prepared for you fillet of veal stuffed with
wild rice, butternut squash, and topped with a silky, hazelnut
puree. On the side is a caramelized sweet potato flambé and
grilled baby portobellos infused with a savory, obscenely
priced wine.”
“Exquisite. It looks divine.” Sylvia applauded before she
sent the man a condescending smile. “That will be all,
Sebastian.”
Priceless. Even a world-famous, Michelin-star chef wasn’t
worthy of gracing Sylvia’s table since she’d hired him for
services rendered. Life threw many curveballs, but one
constant remained—my mother’s arrogant, entitled attitude.
“Bon appetite.” Sebastian benevolently accepted her snub
and bowed before waddling through the door and back into the
kitchen.
Instead of waiting for Mother to take the first bite of the
meal, like I’d been trained as a child, I dug right in…sawed off
a hunk of veal and popped it into my mouth. With an indignant
huff, Sylvia plucked up her knife and fork. Harmony followed
suit, and I watched as she placed the first bite of tender beef on
her tongue. When she closed her eyes and moaned, my cock
woke, stretching and eager to make her scream.
“Oh, my goodness,” she groaned. “This is… It’s
delicious.”
“Of course. Sebastian is a pro.” Sylvia arched a brow. “Tell
me, darling, what does one do in Kentucky?”
I open my mouth to intervene when Harmony gave a little
shake of her head. The twinkle in her eyes screamed, I got this.
“I can’t speak for what others do, but I live on a secluded
mountain and work hard to maintain an ecovillage with a large
group of people.”
 What the fuck is an ecovillage?
“I’ve never heard the term…ecovillage. What exactly is
that?” Sylvia asked.
I was dying to know as well.
“Some people refer to it as a…commune. But it’s far more
than that,” Harmony replied proudly.
What. The. Actual. Fuck?
As Sylvia snapped her head my way, I schooled the shock
charging my system, as well as the million questions pinging
my brain, and met my mother’s horrified, gaping stare with a
smirk.
“You…you brought a hippy into my home…my…my
sanctuary?” she shrieked.
A dared a glance at Harmony, who was trying to bite back
a mischievous smile.
If she’d made up the story to rattle Sylvia’s cage, way to
go, princess.
On the other hand, if Harmony actually did live in a
commune on a mountain, it explained why she’d never heard
of our band or our music. Never attended a concert, eaten
shrimp or scallops, worn makeup—except tonight—and didn’t
think twice about chasing me down on a busy sidewalk in a
dangerous, unfamiliar city alone.
I’d unearth the truth soon, but right now, I simply wanted
to bask in the awe-inspiring delight of watching my innocent
fake girlfriend—glowing with confidence—refuse to cower or
back down from my snag-nasty mother.
“You mean your narcissistic shrine?”
Sylvia actually growled at my jab.
I wanted to laugh. Instead, I lifted my chin. “Why, yes…
yes, I did, because she’s an amazing young woman with a
heart of pure gold. If you bothered to climb down off your
high horse, you could learn a lot from her. Like…how to be
civil.”
 Harmony sent me a shy smile of thanks while Sylvia
tossed her nose in the air and inhaled sharply. “Why must you
always go out of your way to disappoint me?”
A humorless scoff slid off my tongue. “I’ve asked that
same question my entire life about you, Mother Dearest.” I
clenched my jaw. “Let’s cut the bullshit, Sylvia. Why are we
here?”
“Do I need a reason to spend time with my son? It’s been
over ten years, Rosner.”
“Yet in all those years, of all the times I’ve come to New
York to perform, you picked today to show up at my hotel and
invite me to dinner.”
“I tried to visit you at that horrid hospital, but they refused
me…refused your own mother, who was worried sick about
you.”
I shook my head. “You haven’t spent a single second of
your life worrying about me, Sylvia. Like I said before, cut the
bullshit. Why are we here?”
“If you bothered to look at your quarterly investment
statements, you’d know that the market is spiraling
downward.” She heaved a heavy sigh. “Private companies,
like your father’s, God rest his soul, are taking a major hit.
Sales are down. Our investors are starting to grumble…
whispering hurtful, hateful things.”
Unmoved by her performance of persecution, I knew
exactly what she wanted from me—money. Not that she
needed a handout. Sylvia had amassed multiple millions, but I
knew she had every penny wrapped up in the market. She was
quite capable of saving the factory and the investors, but she’d
take a hit in penalties if she began pulling funds from her
portfolio. Sylvia wouldn’t spend a dime unless it suited her
needs.
Leaning back in my chair, I watched Harmony drag her
fork through her food while I silently waited for Sylvia to drop
the money bomb.
 “Those ungrateful, greedy bastards are implying that I’m
living above my means,” she shrieked. “Have you ever heard
anything so absurd?”
I glanced at my plate and nearly laughed. The woman had
easily shelled out fifty-grand or more to impress us with
Sebastian’s culinary prowess. Yet she was miffed at the
investors who’d fronted the money that enabled her to live in
the lap of luxury.
“I know you’re not heavily invested in long-term stocks,
and—”
“How do you know that?”
She turned her head and shrugged. “I might have called
Martin.”
Martin Edelman of Edelman Investments had been the
family broker since before I was born. It had made sense to
continue using his services when I became an adult, but it was
past time I found a broker of my own.
“How much did it cost you to persuade Martin to divulge
proprietary information about my finances?”
“Are you hinting that I bribed the man?”
“The shoe fits.”
Sylvia waved my comment away. “I don’t want to argue
with you, Rosner. I need your help.”
“My help?”
“Yes. The facts are simple. You have liquidity. I don’t. I
need to borrow two and a half million to shut those ghastly
investors up and keep the factory running.”
Darting a glance at Harmony, her eyes were wide, and I
nearly chuckled when she grabbed her glass of champagne and
took a big gulp.
I let Sylvia’s words hang in the air as I took another bite of
veal and purposely chewed ever so slowly. Sebastian was
indeed a culinary genius, but in the end, a piece of veal was
still just a piece of veal.
 “Are you going to make me beg?” Sylvia asked
impatiently. “From what I hear, you have a penchant for
women who fall to their knees and beg like dogs.”
A curious frown settled over Harmony’s face.
“You’re not helping your cause or gaining sympathy,
Mother,” I drawled.
“I don’t want your sympathy, Rosner,” she barked,
slamming her hand so hard on the table that Harmony jolted.
“I want the money.”
Lifting the napkin from my lap, I wiped a corner of my
mouth, draped it on the table. Then I turned, looking the devil
straight in the eye, and sent her an ugly smile. “No.”
She gasped and reared back as if I’d slapped her. Her
beautiful face creased with rage.
“How dare you refuse me?” Sylvia stood, glaring down at
me. “You owe me.”
“For what? For not aborting me like you did the three
pregnancies after I was born?”
Harmony gasped as Sylvia drew her hand back and swung
it toward my face.
I caught her wrist and held her with a stony glare. “It’s
time to go, princess.”
“Yeah,” Harmony said on a long, low exhalation.
Sylvia yanked her hand from my hold and sneered. “Oh,
I’m sorry. I didn’t realize I was interrupting the addition to
your bucket list.”
“I have no clue what you’re talking about, and I don’t
care,” I barked, shoving my chair back and standing.
“I read that disgusting article they printed about your
bucket list. How you wanted to sleep with a woman from
every state.” She scoffed and homed in on Harmony. “Is this
hillbilly your entry for Kentucky?”
Harmony started to rise from her chair but froze midway.
Her crushed expression landed on me like an anvil. I briefly
closed my eyes and shook my head.
“That article was a lie.”
“Oh, really?” Sylvia tsked. “I bet the tabloids would pay
handsomely for some truths.”
Anger rolled through me. “Bribery and blackmail? That’s a
little low, even for you.” I drawled, stepping around the table
and helping Harmony to her feet.
“Tell me, Rosner, are you still fucking my ex-best friend,
Angie? Or have you grown bored sticking your cock into
forty-nine-year-old pussy?”
“Oh, god,” Harmony gasped, darting a horror-stricken
glance between me and Sylvia.
“You didn’t tell your little hippy about Angie, did you,
Rosner?” Sylvia cackled.
“Shut up,” I growled.
“It’s true. Rosner has been fucking my ex-best friend for
years. It’s all quite scandalous. An ugly, disgusting,
disgraceful scandal. Angie had it all. Money, prestige, and me.
We headed up numerous fund raisers, took tennis lessons
together, spent time at the spa…all the usual. We were
inseparable until she decided she was unhappy, so she walked
away from everything. Do you believe it? Walked away from
all that money? She left the city and where did she go? Why,
straight to Chicago…to Rosner after he left rehab. Then she
fucked him…fucked my only son. I know she did because she
called me, rife with grief, and begged my forgiveness. Of
course, I didn’t give it to the ignorant cow. It’s quite obvious
that Angie is still fucking Rosner stupid since he clearly
doesn’t have the sense to help his own mother when she
desperately needs it.”
Rage erupted like a volcano. Tamping down my fury, I
gently cupped Harmony’s elbow and ushered her toward the
door.
Sylvia raced after us, spewing more venom.
 “Don’t let him fool you. You’re in danger, hillbilly. Rosner
is a twisted, kinky pervert who likes to torture women. Get
away from him…get far, far away from him, now, before he
hurts you, or worse like he did—”
“Enough!” I roared. Nudging Harmony into the foyer, I
punched the button for the elevator, then turned and strode to
where Sylvia stood gloating.
“If you were a man, I’d beat you to death with my bare
hands. And if you were even a woman, I’d call you a cunt,” I
spat. “But you’re neither…you’re a monster…the spawn of
Satan. A soulless, evil cancer that eats away the good and
merciful from the people you’re supposed to love and
cherish,” I yelled, wringing out thirty-two years of
eviscerating rage, resentment, and rejection from the depths of
my soul.
“You don’t even know the meaning of love. You’ve spent
your whole life self-absorbed in a narcissistic fairy tale…so
enamored by your own reflection, you couldn’t bother to turn
away long enough to see the child you bore. I was as invisible
to you as I was an inconvenient mistake to your husband.”
“He didn’t mean it, Rosner. You’ve—”
“Oh, yes, he did,” I barked. “Every time he uttered those
words it was a slap to the face. But the kick to the gut came
when I was sixteen and followed him from work one day. I
parked my car at the end of the street and watched as he
laughed, hugged, and played catch with his secretary’s ten-
year-old son.”
“Oh, Rosner, no.” Sylvia blanched.
“I doubt Malcom ever introduced to you to his illegitimate
son, but he bears a striking resemblance to me. I sat in my car
that day, crying like a bitch and wishing I could be that boy for
five fucking minutes…so I could experience what the love of a
parent actually felt like.”
“I can’t believe you knew…knew all this time and never
—”
 “Oh, I knew. It gutted me. Thankfully, my young heart was
a lot stronger than dear old Dad’s when he came home early
and caught you in bed with—”
“Don’t say another word,” Sylvia screamed. “What do you
want? An apology? Fine. I’m sor—”
“No,” I interrupted before the meaningless word could
spill from her lips. “I don’t want a fucking thing from you.
You’re dead to me, Sylvia. As dead as that piece of shit you
called a husband resting in a hole at the cemetery down the
street.”
“I am not dead! I am your mother.”
“No. You are a heartless whore who has no power over
me, my life, or my happiness because you don’t exist
anymore. You’re the one who’s…invisible now.”
A sob—real or manufactured, it didn’t matter—tore from
Sylvia’s throat as I turned and charged into the foyer.
Tears streamed down Harmony’s face. Pain, sorrow, and
pride glimmered in her gorgeous blue eyes.
I didn’t give two shits if it shredded my control or not; I
cinched her tiny waist, twirled her inside the elevator she’d
been holding open, and pressed the button for the lobby. Then
I drew her into my arms, meshing her warm, sinful body to
mine. Harmony wrapped her arms around my waist and
hugged me back. I pressed a kiss of thanks to the top of her
head as the doors slid shut.
Each floor we descended, I could feel the scars marring the
heart of the unloved, unwanted boy who’d grown up in a toxic,
dysfunctional cesspool begin peeling off and blowing away.
I’d finally slayed the dragon and was free… Well, almost.
Pushing down the guilt trying to work its way from the
inky depths of denial, I cupped Harmony’s nape and began
massaging her soft skin.
“Shhh. Don’t cry, princess. She’s not worth it.”
Harmony lifted her head, and I couldn’t keep from swiping
her tears away with the pad of my thumb. “I’m not crying over
her. I’m crying for you.”
An emotion I’d vowed to never let inside my soul again,
wrapped a fist around my heart and squeezed.
 CHAPTER TEN

Harmony

A nd for myself.
Crying because I’d foolishly let myself believe that under
all these strong muscles hugging me so gloriously tight, Ross
was a good but totally misunderstood man. After hearing the
vile things Sylvia had said about him, I wanted to push him off
me until I found out if his bucket list, sleeping with Angie, and
torturing women, were true.
“Don’t cry for me, princess. I’m not worth your tears.”
The man Sylvia described might not be worth them, but
the little boy she’d neglected and abandoned definitely was.
“Every child deserves parents who love, cherish, and
nurture them.”
“In a perfect world, yes. Regardless of what Sylvia thinks,
I didn’t turn out too bad, did I?”
Afraid to lie and provoke Karma more than I already had, I
eased from his chest, leaned back, and locked my stare on his
dark eyes—the true windows of the soul. Ross didn’t yet
comprehend the ramifications of disturbing the tranquility of
the universe, but I did…knew them well.
“Are all those things she said about you true?”
Ross jerked his arms off my body and turned to face the
elevator doors, blocking me out completely.
 The rich veal and buttery potatoes threatened to purge
from my stomach.
“I’ve never claimed to be a fucking choirboy, princess.”
Ross shot me a hard stare over his shoulder. “If you don’t want
to get hurt, you’ll stay away from me.”
Gathering the threads of shock, horror, and disbelief
unraveling within, I tamped them down deep so the clarity
marching through my brain had room to expand. Like puzzle
pieces snapping together, I finally realized why I continually
struggled to read this man. Why I’d only been able to catch a
few coveted glimpses of the protective knight who’d come to
my rescue. Or the special bond of love and friendship he and
Bernie shared.
My abilities weren’t being blocked by the emotions
churning off the masses in this huge city. I couldn’t breach
Ross’s walls because he’d learned—at a very early age, no
doubt—how to build and reinforce his barriers in order to
survive. I couldn’t allow him to shut me out any longer. Not
because I needed Quinn’s money but because Ross needed my
help far more.
He was crazy if he thought I’d put distance between us. I
hadn’t backed down from his nasty excuse for a mother, and I
certainly wasn’t going to back down from him, either. When
the elevator dinged and the doors slid open, I lifted my chin
and stepped past him.
“Ha. You think I’m scared of you now?” My tone matched
the sharp clip of my heels over the glossy marble floor.
I’d only taken five steps before Ross’s thick arm snagged
my waist, and he whirled me around, pulling me flush against
his hard body. I jerked my head up and was instantly held
prisoner by the ravenous look in his eyes. Ross stepped
forward until he’d backed me up against the cool marble wall.
His stare grew more savage by the second. A feral grimace
curled the corners of his mouth as if he planned to eat me
alive.
Ross was gloriously terrifying in a beautifully dangerous
way that my knees began to tremble—not in fear but arousal.
My heart raced. My breath turned shallow. And a rush of hot,
silky need spilled into my panties. Though it made no sense
whatsoever, I yearned to give myself over to his kinky
perversions. Give him the green light to do every dirty, wicked
thing his heart desired if only to take away the ache throbbing
between my legs.
Staring at his mouth, I branded the shape and texture of his
lips to memory. He leaned in closer. His hot breath wafting
over my skin made my heartbeat roar in my ears.
An impatient, primal heat consumed every cell in my body.
Anticipation spiked.
Though I was trembling with the ache to taste the
forbidden fruit of his kiss and drown in the wet bliss of his
mouth, I had no illusions. I knew the instant Ross Walker’s
sinful lips touched mine, the raw sensuality searing off him—
making my panties wetter by the second—would completely
destroy me. But I didn’t even care. All I could focus on was
the wild electricity humming within and the force of the jolt
that would soon be surging through my soul when his lips met
mine.
With a half-lidded, soul-stealing gaze, Ross slid his hand
beneath my hair and cupped my nape. My body craved things
my mind couldn’t comprehend, and without meaning to, I
leaned in ever so slightly. An animalistic growl rumbled from
deep in his chest, sending goose bumps erupting over my
flesh. With a muted curse, he pressed his thumb beneath my
jaw, tilted my head back, and aligned my mouth beneath his.
Anticipation clawed.
I closed my eyes and held my breath…waiting for the
sweet caress of his lips. But when Ross crashed his mouth
over mine, savagely stabbing his tongue between my lips and
lashing mine with deep, powerful strokes, all dreams of a
tender, passionate kiss vanished.
This felt nothing like the uncertain, artless kiss I’d shared
with Beau back home.
 His was a forceful, commanding, powerful possession
from a man well practiced in the art of seduction and sex. His
kiss stole my breath. As Ross ate at me as if I were his last
meal, tremors and sparks ricocheted through me, awakening
an unfamiliar feminine entity sleeping within. Images of all
the pleasure his wicked tongue could grant between my legs
sent a flood to spill between my legs.
From low in the back of my throat, a whimper of need
collided with his gliding tongue. Ross gripped my nape tighter.
Holding me in place, his lips ground into mine with a
punishing burn. Every inch of him was hard muscle, every
inch except his mouth. I gripped the fabric of his jacket like a
lifeline, melted against his chest, and lost myself in his
demanding kiss.
His sex grew thicker, harder, and hotter against my
stomach, sending more liquid rushing from my sex.
My skin felt tight.
My breasts felt heavy.
My nipples were as hard as glass and pounding in rhythm
with the engorged nub between my folds. And just when I
thought I was going to burst into flames, Ross glided his hand
down my hip, over my thigh, then gripped the hem of my
dress. His thick knuckles grazed my flesh as he started
dragging the fabric up my leg.
Images of the brazen woman flashing her butt cheek on the
sidewalk at lunch flashed in my head.
Panic and shame collided with throbbing desire.
Did Ross think so little of me that he didn’t care about
exposing my flesh in the lobby of his mother’s building? I
wasn’t one of his uninhibited fans willing to sacrifice my
morals in hope that a rich, famous rock god would give me a
few minutes of his undivided attention. Or maybe Ross
thought he was entitled to take what he wanted.
Ribbons of revulsion wended through me, extinguishing
the flames of arousal.
 Slapping at his hand, I tried to tug my dress down, but
Ross merely brushed my fingers away before gliding his
toward my warm, wet panties.
No. This was all wrong. Memories of the frightening man
who’d assaulted me on the sidewalk sprinkled seeds of
helplessness through my system. Fear, sharp and caustic sent
my stomach swirling and my heart bouncing off my ribs.
Blades of betrayal sliced deep.
Ross’s actions made no sense. He’d saved me from the
molesting monster this morning, yet now, he was acting just
like him.
Releasing his jacket, I tried to shove Ross off me, but he
was too big, too strong…too determined. Fear mounted. I
slapped my palms, hard, against his pecs and jerked my head
to the side, severing the ruthless kiss.
“Get off me,” I snapped.
Ross suddenly lurched back and raised his palms in the air,
while he licked his lips as if savoring my taste. A half a
heartbeat later, his whole demeanor changed. Ross clenched
his jaw and sent me an arctic, condescending smile.
“You scared now, princess? You should be. You should be
fucking petrified.”
Without giving me a chance to respond, Ross clutched my
hand and practically dragged me toward the entrance of the
building.
Anger spiking, mind spinning, lips tingling, and pride
stinging, I stepped onto the sidewalk with him. The instant
Bernie spied us, he hurried and opened the back door.
I didn’t wait for an invitation. Didn’t wait for Ross to help
me into the limo. I simply slid onto the buttery-soft leather
seats, crossed my arms over my chest, and silently stewed.
“You stayed a lot longer than I expected,” Bernie stated.
“We’ll talk about it in the car. I’m sure Sylvia’s upstairs
watching to make sure you don’t step out of line.”
 The words had no more left Ross’s lips than a shrill ring
sounded from Bernie’s coat pocket. I watched through the
open door as he retrieved the device and glanced at the caller
ID.
“If it’s Sylvia, don’t answer,” Ross instructed. “Leave her.
Quit right now. Go home, pack your shit, and let me fly you to
Chicago. You can work for me.”
“I-I can’t let you support me, Ross,” Bernie countered
while his phone continued to ring. “I can’t take money I
haven’t earned.”
“Who says you’re not going to earn it?” Ross countered,
his tone softening exponentially. “I’m not home much, but
when I am, I might need a good driver.”
Bernie raised his head and gazed at the top of the building
as if weighing Ross’s offer.
“When I leave here today, I won’t be coming back…ever,”
Ross stated bleakly.
“Was it that bad?”
“Brutal.” Ross sighed heavily. “Come on, Bernie. Get
behind the wheel, drive away, and don’t look back. You
deserve so much better than her.”
“W-what about the limo?”
“She can send someone to pick it up from the hotel.”
“You’re serious, aren’t you?”
“I’ve never been more serious in my life. I left you with
her the summer I turned nineteen. I’m not leaving you to deal
with that cunt again.” Bernie’s phone finally fell silent. “Make
up your mind, man. Time’s running out. She’s probably on her
way down.”
“Are you sure about this, son?” Bernie asked, face stamped
with indecision.
“Positive. I-I need you…I’ve always needed you way more
than she ever has.”
 I watched Bernie wipe a tear from his cheek, then a smile
—brighter than the sun—lit up his face. “Then what are we
waiting for? Get your ass in the car, and let’s get the hell out of
here.”
With a muttered, “Thank fuck,” Ross slid in beside me and
yanked the door shut.
I could hear Bernie—laughing like a loon—as he rounded
the limo and hopped in behind the wheel. Then with a squeal
of tires and a cloud of smoking rubber, the limo lurched
forward.
Ross didn’t say a word, didn’t even glance my way. He
simply sat like a statue and stared straight ahead. A whirlpool
of conflicted emotions I’d never felt before swirled within and
threatened to pull me under.
On one hand, I admired the big drummer for granting
Bernie his long-awaited freedom. Yet, on the other, knowing
that Ross’s kiss, still stinging my lips, hadn’t been designed to
claim me with ruthless, thrilling arousal, but had been a
premeditated attempt to scare me off was equal parts
confusing, embarrassing, and irritating. So much anger was
flooding my system, I didn’t know if meditation alone could
purge it all.
“Will it mess up your plans if I take a few days to get some
personal things in order before heading to Chicago?” Bernie
asked, glancing at Ross in the rearview.
“Not at all. Take as long as you need. I’ll book your flight
whenever you’re ready.”
Will he book a flight for me, too…a flight to Kentucky?
Seriously? You’re throwing in the towel on day one? a little
voice in my head scoffed.
Clearly, I’d given Ross the power to disturb my peace of
mind…my sacred utopia within. I might have started down the
path of this new journey on the wrong foot, but I still had time
to retrace my steps and take my power back…starting now.
While the two men continued discussing Bernie’s move, I
turned my head, closed my eyes, and blocked them out
completely.
After inhaling several deep, calming breaths, I focused on
quieting the chaos swirling within. First, I imagined myself
back home, sitting on the smooth slab of stone beside the
rippling creek. I could hear the water bubbling over the rocks,
the birds chirping in the trees, and the squirrels scampering
across the carpet of leaves and sticks on the ground. I could
feel the sun warming my skin, the cool mountain air skimming
over my flesh and blowing through my hair. The sharp tang of
the pines and rich, loamy soil filled my nose.
When my soul finally settled, I mentally began reciting my
favorite mantras, wrapping the familiar healing and
empowering words around me until I was safely cocooned in a
familiar blanket of peace once more.
“You plan on staying in the limo all night, princess?”
Ross’s derisive tone tugged at my veil of serenity.
I opened my eyes and turned my head. He was standing on
the sidewalk in front of our hotel peering at me. There was no
sign of Bernie anywhere. I wrapped my fingers around my
clutch and scooted across the seat. Ross extended his hand to
help me out, but I brushed it aside and exited on my own.
“Don’t push me away in public. If the press sees you do
that, we’ll have to start this farce all over again,” he
murmured, sliding a possessive arm around my waist.
Bristling, I pinched my lips together. “Better find a smile
under that pout, princess. We’ve been spotted.”
Forcing a smile as plastic as the one stretched over Ross’s
lips, I caught sight of several reporters frantically snapping
photos as they hurried our way. He quickly guided me inside
the hotel, across the lobby, and to the elevators. I could feel
Ross’s eyes trying to peel the blanket of calm from my body.
Mentally holding it tightly in place, I let several soothing
phrases flutter through my mind.
When the doors slid open, I turned and flashed him a
brittle but polite smile. “Thank you for dinner.”
 He scoffed. “That wasn’t much of a dinner. I mean, neither
of us really ate anything. But thank you for enduring that hell
with me.”
“No problem,” I said, stepping into the small conveyance.
As Ross started to follow, I blocked his path and shook my
head. “You don’t need to escort me to my room. I’m capable
of—”
“I know exactly what you’re capable of, but I’m still
walking you to your room.”
“Suit yourself.” I shrugged, backing into a corner as far
away from him as I could.
Neither of us said another word until we reached my room.
As I retrieved my key card and went to slide it into the lock,
Ross captured my hand.
“You need to stay like this.”
“Like what?”
“Pissed.” He held me prisoner with hungry dark eyes. “I’m
not one of the good guys. I only pretend to be when the
paparazzi’s around.”
“I don’t believe you. I’ve seen—”
“Exactly what I want you to see, but it’s not the real me. If
I let the real me out of its cage, there’d be nothing left of you.
I’d destroy you. I’d eat you up…devour you like the sweet,
juicy morsel you are and spit you out. I’ll do everything in my
power to keep that from happening, but I need you to do the
same…for both of us. Understood?”
“Let me get this straight. You’d rather humiliate me than
destroy me?”
“Yeah. The longer you’re pissed at me, the safer we’ll be.”
I yanked my hand from his, shoved my card into the lock,
then twisted the handle and opened the door. I stepped inside
and turned to face him again.
“I thought you were a smart man, but obviously I was
wrong. Here’s a news flash for you, Ross…humiliating people
does destroy them.”
When I started to slam the door in his face, he charged into
the suite—snarling and nostrils flaring—like an angry bull.
The rush of fear climbing up my spine begged me to run into
the bedroom, lock the door, and call security. Instead, I lifted
my chin and held my ground.
“I’m trying to do the right thing here,” Ross bit out
between clenched teeth. “But you’re making it nearly
impossible.”
“You’re the one who initiated that soul-stealing kiss, not
me,” I reminded, stabbing his chest with my finger. “Did I ask
you to toss that creep onto a taxi or heave that reporter into the
air? No. You did those things to protect me. You can stand
here and tell me you’re a bad person or that you’re going to
destroy me all you want, but I’m never going to believe you.”
“Oh, yeah? Why not?”
“Because I’ve already seen what’s in your heart.”
“You’re forgetting one important detail.”
“What?”
“I’m a damn good actor.”
He leaned in close, brushing his lips over the shell of my
ear, sending my heart rate jumping and heat pooling between
my legs. I wanted him to kiss me again…one last time before
he completely shut me out of his life.
“Don’t confuse my performance with me giving a fuck,
little girl. I have zero fucks to give about anything or anyone.”
“Oh, please.” I rolled my eyes. “You care about playing
the drums. And you certainly care about Bernie. You wouldn’t
have offered him a job or the chance to escape Sylvia.”
“Fine. You’re right. Drums are my life. And Bernie’s the
father I should have had, instead of that prick who emptied his
ball sac into Sylvia’s snatch.”
I pinched my lips together to muffle a laugh.
“What’s so funny?”
 “You,” I said, giving up the struggle of hiding my grin.
“You barely talk, and when you finally do, you don’t bother
mincing a single word.”
“Candy coating shit serves only one purpose.”
“What would that be?”
“To keep all the snowflakes from crying in their
Wheaties.”
“What’s a—”
“A snowflake?” Ross asked incredulously.
“No. I know what snowflakes are. We do have winter on
the mountain. What’s a Wheaty?”
“Come on, we’re going back downstairs.” He slid his hand
in mine.
“Why?”
“Because I’m going to find you a bowl of Wheaties.”
“Do we have time? You’ve got rehearsal at eight, and—”
“Shit. How the hell did that slip my mind?”
Well, gee…let’s see. You had a fake girlfriend thrust on you
before breakfast. Pulled a pervert off her less than an hour
later. Dodged several uncomfortable questions at the radio
station. Manhandled a jerk reporter for knocking me down at
lunch. Had your viper mother show up at your hotel for a
surprise visit. Confronted said viper at dinner. Kissed me so
hard my panties nearly melted off. Lifted my skirt and felt up
my leg, then verbally slapped me in the face. Hired your
mother’s driver. And tried to convince me you’re some kind of
evil monster. And this was just day one.
I figured his question was rhetorical, so I kept the litany of
events to myself.
Ross pulled out his cell phone and checked the time.
“Looks like I’m going to have to give you a rain check on the
Wheaties. I need to get to my room and change.” He dragged
an indecent stare up my body and shook his head. “And as
much as it pains me to say, you’ll be more comfortable in
jeans and a tee.”
“Oh, right. I am a little over dressed for your rehearsal,
aren’t I?”
“Not by my standards, but…” He made a noise that
sounded like a moan and a grunt. “Meet up in the lobby, say…
twenty minutes?”
“Sure.”
A foolish, pointless wave of sadness washed over me as
Ross hurried out the door.
Seventeen minutes later, I stepped off the elevator dressed
in a pair of soft, well-worn blue jeans and a white tank with a
blue floral kimono. I’d thought about washing off my makeup
and taking my hair down, but I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to
Cinderella yet. And though Sofia and Mia had spent a small
fortune on beauty products for me, I didn’t really know how to
apply them. It might be a long time before I felt like a real
princess again.
The one thing I did feel was Ross’s stare from across the
room. Tingles spread through me, gathering between my legs.
The memory of his toe-curling kiss clambered through my
brain, and I licked my lips hoping his taste had lingered. It
hadn’t, but the texture and heat of his mouth and tongue were
branded to memory.
A part of me wanted to still be mad at him for that stupid
stunt he’d pulled. But thankfully, I’d managed to purge the
anger from my system. Ross wasn’t a bad person; his low self-
esteem was a by-product from years of Sylvia’s brainwashing.
Though it would take time and a bit of creativity, I was
determined to replace the negativity she’d shoved down his
throat with positive reinforcement and self-love.
But when Ross threaded his fingers through mine and led
me to the bus, the sputters of electricity pinging through my
system told me achieving that goal while tamping down the
feminine longings he awakened was going to be a massive
challenge.
 When Kenny pulled to the curb in front of Madison Square
Garden, I gaped at the sheer size of the arena. But when we
stepped inside the building and gathered on the stage, I simply
gasped. The place was enormous. Turning in a slow circle, I
tried to absorb the fact that, this time tomorrow, each of the
thousands of empty seats would be filled with screaming,
adoring fans. It completely boggled my mind.
Facing the stage again, I watched the guys split off and
claim their individual instruments. But when Ross tossed a
muscular leg over a short, squatty stool before easing in
behind a semicircle of drums and cymbals, he captured all my
focus. I was unable to peel my gaze off the man as he
unbuttoned his shirt and threw it aside. I drank in the sight of
the white sleeveless tee hugging his chiseled body as he
plucked up his drumsticks. When he gripped them tightly, his
biceps bunched and the thick muscles lining his arms rippled.
I forgot all about the magnitude of the arena, the mass of
fans who’d be attending their concert, and…how to breathe.
“Come on, let’s snag the best seats in the house.” Sofia
grinned, looping her arm in mine.
“Where are they at?”
“Front row, center, baby!” She laughed as we strolled off
the stage, through the wings, and out a door that led to the
arena itself.
Sofia and I sat patiently as each of them tested their
microphones, and instruments. Darren and Syd tuned their
guitars. Ozzy’s fingers fluttered over his keyboard before he
played a few rich, beefy chord combinations. Ross twirled his
drumsticks around each knuckle and tapped his foot against a
drum that sent a heavy throbbing beat echoing through my
chest. The guys laughed as they lobbed lighthearted insults
and one-liners at each other. I felt the strength of a strong,
loving bond woven within the threads of their carefree antics. I
suddenly realized that I was witnessing a ritual of sorts. One
very few ever had the honor of observing.
“Let’s get this over with. I’m starving,” Ross grumbled.
 “How can you be starving?” Ozzy asked. “I thought the
dragon lady was feeding—”
“Oh, she tried. But I wasn’t in the mood to gag down the
shit piled on her spoon.”
“What the hell happened?” Burk’s tone was dripping with
compassion.
“Nothing I want to talk about, brother.”
Ross clenched his jaw, lifted his sticks in the air, and
slammed them on the drum in front of him. The ten-foot-tall
speakers poised on each side of the stage sent the sound
reverberating all the way to my bones.
“Was dinner ugly?” Sofia whispered beside me.
“Gruesome.”
“Is Ross okay? It’s so damn hard to tell with him.”
“He will be.”
Because I wasn’t going back home until I’d healed his
beaten, broken, damaged soul.
 CHAPTER ELEVEN

Ross

C losing my eyes, I tapped an even tempo on my tom while

Darren’s complex guitar solo slid over my sweat-soaked
skin like a reassuring caress. On the best and worst days of my
life, music was my salvation, the only constant in my fucked-
up world. It held the power to soothe and calm me, to lift me
up, fill me with strength and motivation, and provide a
priceless anchor to keep me grounded and sane.
As Darren pressed the pedal at his feet, dragging out the
final note of his riff, I twirled my sticks in the air, caught them
in my fists, and slammed them on the batter head of my floor
tom. After pausing half-a-beat, I pummeled a tandem double-
tap on the left and right toms as my feet tapped the pedals of
my bass drum and cymbals.
Each blow I landed to the wooden cylinders and brass
domes lessened the anger, frustration, and contempt seeing
Sylvia again had left within. I found beating the stains of her
animosity profoundly cathartic. If only I could drive away my
own sins as easily and completely, life would be grand again.
Well, almost. I lifted my chin and glanced at the innocent
beauty seated in the front row. Harmony’s ocean-blue eyes
sparkled in delight, and a blinding smile stretched her sinful
lips—lips that were so velvety soft, silky, and sweet I ached to
taste them again and again—as she watched Syd dance across
the stage like an idiot.
 Wishing I was the man igniting that level of joy inside her,
I clenched my jaw and hammered my drums until I’d driven
my want back inside its box.
After hurrying through our set, we gave up the stage and
our equipment to Mia and her backup musicians—drummer
Mick Allen and keyboard player Duke Winter, who’d finally
arrived in New York after a massive airline snafu—and headed
backstage.
When I’d finished wiping the sweat from my head, neck,
and arms, I guzzled a bottle of water and turned as Sofia
rushed into Burk’s arms. Peering around her, I expected to see
Harmony, but she wasn’t there. When I glanced from the edge
of the curtain, she was still sitting in her seat, completely
enraptured, watching Mia and her backup musicians.
I should have left her alone. Should have let her sit by
herself and get lost in the music, but I couldn’t. The demand to
be near her, breathe in the sweet scent of lilac and honeysuckle
that clung to her soft skin overrode all common sense.
So enthralled in Mia’s performance, Harmony didn’t
notice me until I plopped down in the chair beside her.
Looking up at me, she sucked in a little gasp and her eyes
grew wide. My gut and heart clutched in tandem. I now knew
exactly how she’d look when I inched my hard, thick cock into
her tight, virgin pussy.
Not in this lifetime, asshole, the little fucker in my head
scoffed. But even the unwelcome voice of reason didn’t keep
my dick from stirring.
“Oh, my gosh, Ross. That was… You guys were…”
Harmony sputtered excitedly, grinning from ear to ear. Fuck,
she was…too pure and good for me. “Ahhmazing.”
“If you liked this, tomorrow night will blow you away.”
“I already am.” She laughed.
A half smile kicked up a corner of my mouth. “Just wait
until the fans are here. The air practically sizzles with
electricity.”
 Harmony cast her lashes down and nibbled her bottom lip.
My cock did a whole lot more than stir as I drank in her
unconscious submissive gesture.
“Like the kind of electricity that flows between us when
we touch?”
I suspected she’d felt it this morning at breakfast, but
hearing Harmony confirm it threw me for a loop. I didn’t
know how to respond without the topic taking on a life of its
own. While I didn’t like being a head-in-the-sand kind of man,
there were times when it was necessary. Like now.
“Different.”
Harmony nodded thoughtfully. “That makes sense. I mean,
with so many people in the place, it’s probably not as intimate
and personal as it is between us.”
Where the fuck is a sandbox when I need one?
When I remained silent, Harmony smiled softly and
focused her attention on the stage, where Mia was belting out
the chorus of a tune that used to turn Ozzy inside out. Even
when they weren’t together, Mia had managed to keep her
claws buried inside him. Poor prick. He was almost as pathetic
as my sorry ass still being haunted by a fucking ghost.
Before the memory could chew the locks off its cage, I
tapped Harmony on the back of her hand. She snapped her
head my way, body still bobbing to the sultry beat of the song.
“I need to talk to the guys. See you backstage when Mia’s
through, all right?”
“Sure.”
Two hours later, I was showered and dressed in a pair of
sweatpants and sitting on the terrace of my suite, scarfing
down a couple double cheeseburgers and fries I’d ordered
from room service. I’d just popped the lid off my second beer
when I heard the sweet sound of a woman singing. After
taking a long pull, I wiped my mouth on the back of my hand
and strolled to the edge of the terrace. Then I cocked my head
and listened to the smooth, alluring voice.
 The lyrics of the song were hauntingly familiar, but I
couldn’t quite put my finger on the title. I held my breath and
listened more intently. She sang about bringing someone home
and then walking in the rain, thumbing for a ride. But when
the words Kentucky rain keeps pouring down hit my ears, my
beer nearly slipped from my fingers.
“Christ, that’s…Harmony.”
I charged into my room and stubbed my toe on the leg of
the couch. Barking out a string of curses, I grabbed my
keycard and raced out the door. I jogged down the hall, I
stopped outside her room, and pressed my ear against the door.
“With the rain in my shoes…searching for you,” she
crooned in a voice as rich and sweet as honey.
“No way,” I mumbled softly.
“What are you doing, you big-ass perv?” Syd whispered.
He was two doors down, holding an ice bucket and grinning
like a fool. “Are you listening to her rub one out?”
Before I could answer, he ate up the distance between us
and pressed his ear to the door. I tried to shove him away, but
he gripped the edge of the frame as his eyes grew wide. “Is
that her… Is that Harmony singing?”
“Yeah,” I mouthed before pressing a finger to my lips.
Syd nodded, then together we flattened our ears to the door
again.
“So, she’s an Elvis fan,” Syd mumbled.
“Is that who sings this?” The bass player nodded. “How do
you know?”
“My foster…my friend’s foster mom used to sing this song
all the time, but never this good. Did you know Harmony
could sing like this?”
“No,” I mouthed again as she drew out the last silky note
of the chorus. I shoved Syd away from her door and pointed
toward his room.
 Like a couple of cat burglars, we sprinted down the hall.
As Syd shoved his key card into the lock on his door, I kept
going.
“See you at breakfast,” I called over my shoulder before
disappearing around the corner.
When I got back to my room, I downed my last beer and
climbed into bed. Gripping my phone, I brought up YouTube
and tapped in Elvis. I slid under the covers and replayed the
song Harmony had sung, over and over until I couldn’t keep
my eyes open anymore.
The next morning at breakfast, I watched Harmony take
her first bite of crepes and got a boner… okay, another boner.
After dreaming about the songbird beside me all damn night, I
woke with a dick so hard a cat couldn’t scratch it. Even
jacking off in bed and again in the shower didn’t keep my cock
from strangling in my jeans as Harmony moaned with each
bite.
At the end of the table, Quinn cleared his throat. I knew
the cockbag only wanted to gloat again, so I ignored him and
focused instead on Harmony torturing me with kitten-soft
moans as she savored her breakfast.
“Hey, did any of you hear that woman’s pretty voice
singing last night?” Syd asked, flashing me a grin.
Harmony’s fork slid from her fingers and clattered to her
plate. I felt and watched the muscles in her body grow tauter
than a guitar string. I hated that Syd was calling her out, but
she’d finally stopped moaning.
“I did. I stepped out on the terrace, when I was talking to
Tori, and heard a woman singing an old Elvis song,” Darren
chimed in. “She sure had an amazing voice.”
“She did.” Syd nodded emphatically. “You didn’t hear her,
Ross?”
“Nope,” I lied, shoving a piece of toast in my mouth while
pinning the prick with a death glare.
“Really? Her voice was…like an angel. I wish we could
find out who she is.”
 Keep pushing, asswipe.
After snatching up her glass of water and taking several
huge gulps, Harmony placed her napkin on the table and
scooted her chair back. “If y’all will excuse me, I need to use
the powder room.”
Before I could do the gentlemanly thing and rise from my
chair, she was gone.
“Leave it alone, Syd,” I growled.
Ignoring the curious glances pelting me from all directions,
I sipped my coffee and started plotting ways to kill the mouthy
son of a bitch…again. Devising ways to end him was
becoming a regular thing. Okay, so I needed to lighten up.
That wasn’t any news flash.
When Harmony returned and settled in beside me, I pinned
Syd with a glare. I gave zero fucks about reaching over the
table and strangling the life out of him today.
“Mia and I are going shopping again. Wanna come with
us?” Sofia asked Harmony.
From the corner of my eye, I watched her face light up and
an excited smile grace her lips. Then her enthusiasm died, and
Harmony shook her head.
“Thanks, but I can’t. You all spent too much on me
yesterday, and—”
“Nonsense.” Sofia waved the excuse away. “I still have
Burk’s credit card. It’s fine.”
The feisty former road manager blew a couple of air kisses
to her man, then flashed him an impish grin. Burk rolled his
eyes and smirked.
“I got something for you to kiss, sweetheart,” he drawled.
Sofia purred.
I wanted to gag.
“Keep the card. And Harmony, please…go with them. Buy
anything you want as long as you keep those two wildcats out
of trouble for me and Oz.”
 “That’s very kind of you, Burk.” Harmony’s cheeks
glowed crimson. “But I can’t accept your generosity. You’ve
been far too kind already.”
“Come on, honey,” Sofia cajoled. “Save the sixty bucks in
your wallet and let us get you a new wardrobe. It’ll be fun.”
Sixty bucks? That’s all the money she has with her?
“Shit,” Quinn spat. “I’m sorry, Harmony. I’ll go out and
get you some prepaid debit cards. I didn’t even think about—”
“I got it,” I interrupted as I drew my wallet from my back
pocket. After thumbing out a couple of credit cards, I held
them out to Harmony. “Here. Hang on to these and use them
for whatever you want.”
“No. I-I can’t take those.” She blanched and pushed my
hand away.
I wanted to grab her wrist and shove them in her fingers.
Instead, I cocked my head and pursed my lips.
“Fine. You can buy them from me for…twenty bucks.”
“That’s insane. You want me to give you twenty dollars
and then charge—”
“Your heart out? Yes.”
“I can’t do that.”
I held the credit cards up in the air. “Do I hear twenty?”
“Fuck yeah. Twenty-five,” Syd cackled. “I maxed mine out
at the porn store.”
“Which shocks no one,” I drawled.
“Thirty.” Darren grinned.
“Have you lost your mind?” Harmony gaped.
“Nope, and you’d better start bidding, princess. They’re
going fast.”
“Thirty-five,” Ozzy said, raising his fork in the air.
“Forty.” Quinn grinned.
 “Fifty,” Mia shouted, nodding at Harmony to join the
game.
“Sixty,” she called out beside me.
“Sold,” I barked, slamming my hand on the table.
“Wait,” Syd protested. “You didn’t say, Going once, going
twice…”
“My cards. My prerogative.”
“Good grief. What have I just done?” Harmony murmured.
“I think you decided to go shopping with the girls.” I
chuckled, placing the cards in her hand. “Now take these and
go spoil yourself for once…spoil yourself rotten. Got it?”
She took the cards and nodded, then began digging into her
little purse. When she pulled out three of the rattiest tattered
twenties I’d ever seen, and placed them in my palm, my heart
sputtered. I wanted to stuff them back in her purse, but instead,
I nodded and shoved them in the pocket of my shirt.
“Thank you,” she whispered, tears filling her eyes.
I wanted to lean over and kiss her more than I wanted my
next breath.
I live on a secluded mountain and work hard to help
maintain an ecovillage… The info Harmony had shared at
Sylvia’s rushed to the front of my brain. I realized the sixty
bucks she’d just given me wasn’t all she’d brought with her…
It was all the money she had.
My heart broke in two.
How long had she scrimped and saved for this trip?
And why the fuck hadn’t Quinn taken better care of her
financially? He’d hired her. But knowing the crafty bastard, he
probably wasn’t going to pay her a fucking penny until the
press got off my dick.
Right on the heels of my fury for Quinn, another thought
punched me in the gut, making me feel like a pompous ass.
Like the spoiled, entitled brat I’d been before Bernie sat me
down and shoved a fist of reality down my throat.
 He’d taken me to the park one day when I was about six
years old. My nanny was sick or something, so Sylvia enlisted
her driver to deal with the little urchin and get him out of my
hair. I was crawling around on the jungle gym when another
boy and his three sisters raced toward me. I could tell by the
clothes they wore they were really poor. They were laughing
and having so much fun, but I stayed as far away from them as
I could.
Bernie asked, “Why aren’t you playing with the other
kids?”
“Because they’re nasty. Look at them. They’re gross and
dirty,” I’d replied.
He gripped me by the shoulder and marched me back to
the limo, then opened the door and yelled for me to get in. It
was the first time I’d ever seen him angry, and it was because
of me. Bernie knelt down and looked me straight in the eye.
“You might have more money than god, you spoiled little
shit, but you’ll never be rich until you start counting the things
in your life that money can’t buy. Things like love, respect,
and happiness.”
He slammed the door and took me back to the penthouse,
but to this day, his words stayed with me.
I glanced at the beauty beside me as a cold chill slid up my
spine.
If Harmony thought I was trying to rub her nose in my
meaningless wealth by taking her to Sylvia’s palace of
prestige, I was fucked.
“Oh, hell. Our limo’s here. Let’s go, ladies,” Mia
announced before planting a long, sizzling kiss on Ozzy’s lips.
“Buy something sexy,” Burk instructed, waggling his
brows at Sofia before cupping her neck and claiming her
mouth.
Harmony turned to me. I would have given my left nut for
her to press the pretty bow of her lips to mine. But she didn’t.
She smiled with a shit-ton more gratitude than I deserved and
whispered, “Thank you again, Ross.”
 “Will you do something for me?”
“Sure.”
“Buy yourself something…frivolous.”
“O-okay.” She smiled and nodded.
“You’ll have to show it to me.”
“All right.”
I squeezed her hand and lowered my voice. “Buy anything
you want…spend as much as you want. This day is all about
you. Understood?”
“Thank you, Ross.”
If I hadn’t been sitting down, the quiver in her voice and
bewilderment stamping her face would have taken me out at
the knees.
As soon as the three women left the restaurant, I turned to
Quinn.
He held up his hands. “I know. I know. Ava is having some
debit cards delivered to the front desk. It’s already handled.”
“It should have been handled before now.”
“You’re right. I’d been so focused on getting Harmony
here in time, it slipped my mind.”
“In time for what?”
“The tour, of course.”
Quinn’s reply was disturbingly too nonchalant. He was
hiding something, but before I could begin my interrogation,
the waiter appeared and handed him the bill. Quinn quickly
signed his name and stood.
“I’ve got some work to do, so I’ll meet you all in the lobby
at three?”
“Sounds good,” Burk confirmed.
“Tell Ava hi for us,” Darren added as Quinn nodded and
strolled away.
 I was next to leave the table with a wave. But before I
headed up to my suite, I stopped by the front desk and dragged
the ragged twenties from my pocket.
“Can I exchange these for newer bills, please?”
The young brunette with big brown eyes tried to be
professional, but as she reached to take the money from my
hand, she purposely dragged her fingers slowly over mine and
held me with a purely inviting stare.
“Is there anything else I can do for you, Mr. Walker?” she
asked, placing the crisp, flat replacements in my palm.
“Actually, there is. Would you have a few minutes to join
me…upstairs?”
“Yes. Oh, yes. I-I’d love to,” she answered breathlessly
before turning to her male co-worker. “I’m taking my break,
Chaz.”
The young man nodded as she darted from behind the
counter and rushed to my side.
“Shall we?” I gestured toward the elevator.
“Oh, my god,” she gushed, practically running to the
conveyance.
The young girl excitedly prattled on and on while I merely
nodded and forced a fake-as-fuck smile. I probably should
have felt bad for what I was doing, but I didn’t. My mind was
focused on one thing, and it wasn’t sex…at least, not with this
girl.
When we reached Harmony’s suite, I arched a brow. “Do
you have a pass card to unlock the door?”
“Oh, yes.” She shoved a hand into the pocket of her pants
and pulled out a key card, then quickly opened the door.
I could tell by the fresh track marks on the carpet that
Housekeeping had already been in to clean the room. My plan
was falling into place perfectly. Though I didn’t invite the
hotel worker to follow me to the bedroom, she stayed right on
my heels. And when I breached the portal, Harmony’s sweet,
flowery scent, still clinging in the air, slammed me like an
aphrodisiac.
I stopped at the edge of her bed and my mind started filling
with images of her silky wheat-colored hair spilling over the
fluffy pillows and her naked body writhing in ecstasy as I
devoured her succulent virgin pussy.
“Um, excuse me, but I don’t believe this is your room,” the
desk clerk blurted, pulling me from my trance and pointing to
the sexy stilettos Harmony had worn with that cock-hardening
dress yesterday.
“Never said it was.”
“T-then what are we doing… Whose room is this?”
“My girlfriend,” I lied. “She stays with me, but we always
book separate rooms for the tax write-off. I need all the
expenses I can get. Uncle Sam likes to fuck me hard every
year, so—”
“Y-you mean we’re not going to…you know?”
“Not going to what?” I asked, straight-faced. “You didn’t
think I asked you here to…have sex with you, did you?”
“Oh, heavens no. That would be highly inappropriate of
both of us, Mr. Walker. Of course not.” The lies were rolling
off her tongue as fast as she was back pedaling.
“Good. Because I don’t need any ugly accusations
splashing the tabloids or anyone trying to come between me
and my baby girl. She’s…amazing.”
Yeah, I was pouring it on thick, but the fewer people who
knew I’d invited her up to Harmony’s room, the better.
Especially Harmony.
“Of course not, Mr. Walker. I would never… I-I think its
best if I just let myself out, and…”
“You go ahead and do that, but thanks for your help.”
She nodded, failing miserably to wipe the disappointment
from her face, and hurried out of the room.
 I glanced at the bed again, barely cognizant of the front
door snicking shut. Visions of coaxing endless orgasms from
Harmony’s luscious body and listening to her scream my name
until her voice was reduced to a whisper charged my brain.
And if I didn’t get the fuck out of her room soon, I was
going to cop a nut on the bedspread. That wasn’t at all the
surprise I’d intended to leave her.
After placing the three crisp twenties on her pillow, I
opened my wallet and laid out three one-hundred-dollar bills
alongside them. Then I grabbed the notepad and pen from the
nightstand and started writing.
H ARMONY —I N CASE THERE ’ S EVER ANYTHING YOU WANT
OR NEED . R OSS

After placing the note next to the cash, I closed my eyes

and dragged in a deep breath—filling my lungs with the lilac
and honeysuckle saturating the air—then turned on my heel
and left.
 CHAPTER TWELVE

Harmony

“I ’m not sure wearing this is such a good idea,” I blurted,

staring at my reflection in the mirror inside Sofia and
Burk’s suite.
“Of course it is,” Mia countered, sidling up beside me,
eyeing the shimmering sequin fabric hugging my body. “You
look shit hot.”
“But it hardly covers me.”
“Yours covers more skin than mine,” Sofia reminded.
I compared her equally short black, strapless dress to mine
in the mirror.
The muted animal print hugging her body looked like a
cross between a jaguar and a black tiger. It had a strange
iridescent quality that shimmered every time she moved. Her
breasts were covered in black lace and beads. The delicate
decorated filigree trailed down one side of her torso and
meshed with a hem of pure lace.
“You’re both wearing a hell of a lot more than the band
bunnies.”
Band bunnies? I was afraid to ask Mia to explain.
“It’s rock wear, sugar. It’s not supposed to cover you.”
Sofia grinned.
 Earlier today at the boutique, I’d been fearless when I’d
slipped into the champagne-colored cocktail dress. But now, I
was a ball of angst. My boobs were practically spilling out of
the plunging neckline. And if one of the three thin straps
stretching across the open back—keeping my protruding
cleavage covered in fabric—happened to slip, I’d be giving the
Licks of Leather fans a show they’d never forget.
The skimpy bustline wasn’t my only problem. The sequin
material—what little there was—hugging my hips, draped
from one side of my waist to the hem and crisscrossed with
another layer of fabric right below my crotch. If I had to walk
up or down any stairs, I’d be flashing my jay-jeena—which
was completely bare now thanks to Mia talking me into
getting a Brazilian wax at the spa we visited—for the whole
world to see.
And as if that wasn’t bad enough, Sofia had insisted I go to
the concert sans panties, to keep from having lines on my
backside.
Except for the half-moon foam things stuck to my ribs and
the underside of my boobs, keeping them standing up high and
proud, I was completely naked under the dress.
Sofia eased in on the other side of me, critically eyeing the
outfit along with Mia and me. “I think you look gorgeous.”
“I think Ross is going to have a hard time focusing on the
music with that extra stick he’ll have between his legs.” Mia
giggled.
I felt my cheeks warm. “Oh, hush. He won’t even notice
what I’m wearing.”
Both women began laughing hysterically.
“Keep telling yourself that, honey.” Sofia winked, patting
me on the shoulder.
“Son of a… Help,” Mia moaned, lifting her long blonde-
and-purple-streaked hair as she turned around. “This damn
corset came undone again. Can one of you please tie those
fucking laces in a double knot for me? I really don’t want to
have a wardrobe malfunction on stage tonight.”
 Sofia moved in to remedy the issue, grinning as she
secured the black strapless leather bustier with tiny silver
spikes covering the front. “I’m not going to tie it too tight, or
Ozzy will pull out his pocketknife and cut you out of it after
the show.”
“Oh, that might be fun,” Mia quipped with a sassy grin.
She smoothed her hands over the black leggings hugging her
slender legs before sliding into a pair of black leather stiletto
boots that went all the way up to the middles of her thighs.
“Ready to head out, ladies?”
“Almost,” Sofia replied, snagging the tube of bright red lip
gloss off the bathroom vanity. The same one she’d applied to
my lips earlier after the duo waved their wands of brushes and
flat irons and turned me into a princess again. I paid attention
and asked a ton of questions this time in hopes of one day
being able to weave their same magic by myself. “Even
though it’s lip stain and not supposed to rub off, you never
know.”
Excitement and anxiety bounced through me as we took
the elevator and strode through the lobby. Near the front door,
two burly, solemn-faced men dressed in dark suits stepped
forward—in tandem—blocking the exit.
“Miss Jackson?” the scary goon on the left asked.
Sofia lifted her chin as she protectively tucked Mia in
behind her. “Who wants to know?”
“My name is Cole, and this is Brad, ma’am,” he said,
motioning to the man beside him. “Mr. MacKinnon hired us to
ensure you ladies arrived at the Garden safely.”
“Oh, for the love of…” Mia groused with a heavy sigh.
“Quinn didn’t hire you. Ozzy did.”
“Why?” Sofia asked. “We’re just going a few blocks down
the street.”
“Because Oz keeps insisting that I have a bodyguard when
he’s not around. And I keep trying to tell him I don’t need one
because we’re always together.” Mia rolled her eyes.
 Bodyguards? Wow. While the pair certainly looked
intimidating enough, I felt a lot safer when I was with Ross.
“Why didn’t he send them with us the last two days we
went shopping?”
“He did,” Cole sheepishly confessed. “We…kept our
distance. But we’ve been instructed to ride with you and escort
you into the building.”
“Fine,” Mia bit out, tossing her two-toned hair over her
shoulder. “I’ll deal with Ozzy, later.”
Silently, the two men led us outside and into the sleek
black limo parked at the curb. After we climbed inside, Sofia
pulled out a thick plastic badge attached to a lanyard.
“What’s this?” I asked, reading the words; VIP.
“It’s your pass to go anywhere at any venue on the tour,”
she explained, handing one to Mia. In unison they both draped
the lanyards over their heads. Taking their cue, I did the same.
“You know, it’s not a bad idea to have protection,” Sofia
stated softly, taking Mia’s hand. “There’s a lot of crazy people
out there…stalkers who seem to keep getting bolder and
bolder.”
“I know. I just hate looking weak. I can take care of
myself. I’ve been doing it for years.”
Weak was the last word I’d ever use to describe Mia. She
was as sassy, feisty, and self-assured as Sofia.
“Yes, but you’re at the top of the charts now. You’re also
touring with Licks,” Sofia calmly reminded. “Everyone knows
you and Oz are together… It only takes one delusional fan,
yours or his, to steal the happily ever after you guys plan to
share.”
“You’re right. I’m being a bitch.”
“No. You’re being forced to give up pieces of your
independence,” I interjected. “Just remember, no one can steal
what’s in your heart and soul. That’s all that matters.”
 A huge grin spread over Sofia’s lips. “I wondered when
you were going to start sprinkling your seeds of positivity.”
My heart clutched. Panic spiked. Dread climbed my spine.
I swallowed down the ball of terror lodged in my throat and
sucked in a deep breath. “W-what do you mean?”
Sofia clutched my hand and gave it a squeeze. “Don’t
worry, sugar. Your secret is safe with me…well, me and
Burk.”
Oh, god. They knew. They knew the real reason I was
here, pretending to be Ross’s girlfriend.
“What the fuck is going on?” Mia’s brows slashed in
confusion.
“H-how did you…”
“Burk started digging into some archives online.”
“But why?”
Sofia scoffed and eyed the two beefy bodyguards seated at
the back of the limo. “Quinn is…a slippery little sucker at
times. While he only wants what’s best for the guys in the
band, he sometimes goes about things a little…”
“Underhandedly,” Mia supplied. “Again, what the fuck is
going on?”
“Quinn hired me to help bring light and love back into
Ross’s life,” I murmured.
A slow smile stretched her lips until it turned into a huge
grin. “No shit?”
“No shit.” Sofia nodded.
“Whoa, damn.” Mia gaped. “And Ross has no clue?”
“None.”
“You can’t tell him, please,” I begged, pressing a hand to
my roiling stomach.
“I’m not saying shit.” Mia held up her hand.
“You can’t.” Sofia cringed. “Ross threatened to quit when
he found out Harmony was here to be his girlfriend.”
 “Yeah, I was there.” Mia nodded. “It nearly killed Oz to
think Ross was leaving.”
“If Ross ever finds out Quinn dreamed up this scheme,
he’ll kill him, and we’ll all be out an agent,” Sofia added.
“This is bad…so bad,” I murmured. “I knew better. Lying
is wrong. It pits the universe against you, and… Oh, god. This
is all going to blow up in my face and Ross is going to end up
being inundated with even more hate.”
“I’m sorry, Harmony. I never should have opened my big
mouth, but Mia won’t say a thing, will you?”
“Absolutely not. Pinky promise.” She held up her little
finger.
“None of us will,” Sofia assured, wrapping her own little
finger around Mia’s. Without thinking, I did the same,
squeezing my digit with theirs. “If the guys can have their
sacred bro code, then we can have our consecrated chick
charter, dammit.”
Their vow of silence made me feel slightly better, until the
limo pulled to a stop in front of Madison Square Garden. Then
the butterflies started having a heyday in my belly when I saw
the sea of fans already lined up, waiting.
Brad opened the door and stepped out first.
“Stay close,” Cole instructed before helping each of us
from the vehicle.
I tried not to gape at all the people milling around, but it
was impossible. The energy filling the air was like a spring
storm on the mountain, charged with a dynamic force that
defied words.
Someone screamed Mia’s name, and the echo of feet, like
a heard of stampeding horses, filled my ears.
“Double time,” Brad barked out.
“Shit,” Sofia spat under her breath as she looped her arm
in mine.
 We were practically running to keep up with the two
bodyguards, who had Mia pressed between them and were
barking at the fans closing in around us to get out of the way.
Trying to quell the panic rising inside, I ached for Ross’s
strong arm around me. Longed for his body to protect me from
the swarm of screaming fans.
“How much farther?” I murmured to Sofia.
“Just up ahead is our VIP entrance. See?” She pointed to a
big man wearing a black shirt with the word S ECURITY
emblazoned in white letters guarding a metal door. “That’s
where we’re going.”
“Thank goodness.”
Brad and Cole stuck with us, as promised, and escorted us
backstage, where the guys were doing their sound check.
When Burk and Ozzy spied their women, each let out a
wolf call.
Mia and Sofia sexily sauntered toward their men, leaving
me unblocked and uncomfortably exposed in my little
shimmery dress.
Ross locked a dark, sizzling stare on me and dropped one
of his drumsticks on the floor.
Angst bloomed like dogwoods in spring. Heat rolled up
my body. My mouth went dry. And while my heart hammered
like one of the drums in front of him, the air in my lungs
turned to sand.
He clenched his jaw. Still holding me prisoner with an
animalistic stare, he rose to his feet and prowled toward me as
if I was his prey. As he stopped in front of me, his hands
clenched into fists.
“Hey,” I said softly, voice and lips quivering.
“Jesus.”
The hungry stare Ross dragged down my body felt like a
fiery caress. That needy pulse between my legs, the same one
that ignited when he’d kissed me, started thrumming madly
again.
“You look…Jesus…”
“Is this frivolous enough?”
“Uh-huh.” He nodded, still searing me with a half-lidded
stare.
“Do you like it?”
“Jesus,” he repeated a third time as if he’d forgotten any
other word. “Yeah. Do me a favor. Keep the cards and buy all
the frivolous things your heart desires. Got it?”
I laughed and shook my head. “I can’t do that.”
“Sure, you can, because…Jesus, I’m not taking them back.
Not now.”
“I never pegged you for a deeply religious man.”
“What?” His brows slashed in confusion.
“Never mind.” I softly laughed, then suddenly
remembered. “Oh, I bought you something today.”
“Me?”
“Yeah. Well, technically, you bought yourself something
since it was your money. I just picked it out for you.”
The flicker of surprise and happiness dancing in his eyes
told me it had been a long, long time since anyone had done
something nice for him. Suddenly, I wished I’d gotten him
something…better, or more expensive.
It was too late now. But I could always surprise him again.
I opened my beaded clutch and pulled out a little silver key
chain that was a tiny replica of a famous New York landmark.
“I know you grew up here and have probably seen the
Statue of Liberty a million times, but…”
As I held up the key chain, a tiny smile tugged Ross’s lips
as he pinched the silver loop between thick fingers. A look of
wonder lined his face as he gazed at the miniature landmark as
if seeing it for the first time.
 “I don’t know if it’s true to scale since I’ve never seen it in
person before, but I hoped that when I go back home you
might look at this and think of me… Or, I mean, think about
the fake girlfriend you met in New York.”
“Aw, princess,” he whispered, skimming his wide knuckle
down my cheek. Ribbons of shivers slid through me. “I don’t
need any trinkets to remember you. But thank you. I’m
flattered you thought about me today.”
My heart clutched, and before I could stop myself, I
lowered my lashes and softly whispered, “You’re all I ever
think about now.”
Ross didn’t say a word, but then he didn’t have to. I felt his
body turn to stone and practically heard his lungs seize. The
air around us turned arctic and I instantly regretted saying
anything at all. But instead of turning his back on me and
walking away, Ross gently cupped my chin and tilted my head
back. He held me with a look so teemed in torture I wanted to
howl.
“I told you before, I’m not one of the good guys, princess.
Don’t make me something I’m not…in here.” He pressed a
feather-soft kiss to my forehead.
Sadness and arousal twined as one, sending a strange band
of confusion to wrap around my heart.
I placed my hand on his arm and stared him straight in the
eyes. “You are a good man, Ross. Deep down inside is a
warm, caring, loving man.”
His lips pressed to a thin, tight line just as Burk, with Sofia
by his side, clapped Ross on the shoulder.
“Let’s eat.”
Ross jerked his chin at the singer, then looked down at me.
“Come on.”
“We’re leaving?”
“No. Food is catered in for us,” he explained as we
followed the others backstage and down a long hallway.
“Good. It’s crazy outside. People are everywhere.”
 “You want to see crazy…wait until they’re all inside.”
“That’s got to be overwhelming. Do you meditate before
you perform?”
“Meditate?” His brows arched high.
“Yeah, you know…center yourself so you don’t get stage
fright or anything.”
“Never had stage fright.”
“Have you tried it for other things, like stress or worry?”
“Ahh, no. That’s what beer is for,” he scoffed. “I don’t
know how to meditate.”
Well, you’re going to learn, big guy.
“I’d be happy to teach you. It works wonders.”
“You’re not going to start pulling out crystals and shit, are
you?”
Miffed by his patronizing tone, I sent him a scowl.
“Maybe. Crystals have wonderful healing powers.”
A crooked smile tugged his sexy mouth as we continued
down the hall. “Oh, yeah? Like what?”
“Clear quartz amplifies and distributes energy. Obsidian
shields negativity, and amethyst removes negative thoughts.” I
flashed him a sassy smirk. “Bloodstone cleanses the
environment of bad energy. Moonstone is for new beginnings,
and—”
“Did you bring one of those with you?”
“A moonstone?” I asked as the scent of something
mouthwatering hit my senses.
“Yeah,” he said, leading me into a large room with several
half-domed silver trays spaced across a long linen-covered
table. Two servers dressed in dark clothes and white aprons
smiled as we headed toward the food.
“Uh-huh. It’s in my purse.”
“After we sit down”—he nodded at a big round table in the
center of the room—“I’d like to see it.”
 “Why? So you can make fun of me some more?” I quipped
tartly.
“No. Because I want to learn more about…the things you
like. And I really want to hear about the eco-place you live.”
I didn’t know why Ross was suddenly interested in me, but
I certainly wasn’t going to—as Bodhi would say—look a gift
horse in the mouth. Any crack in his walls that I could squeeze
through was a big fat win in my book.
“Ecovillage,” I corrected as he handed me a plate.
I didn’t bother asking what food items were in the
steaming silver trays. I simply loaded my plate, grabbed a
glass of lemonade, and strolled toward the big table. A quick
glance over my shoulder confirmed what I already knew—
Ross’s stare was locked on my backside. No longer feeling
insecure about the dress, I put a little extra sway in my hips
before reaching my seat.
“You’re leaving a puddle on the floor, dude,” Ozzy
chortled. “Extra napkins are on the end of the buffet table.”
“Fuck off,” Ross snarled before joining me. After he sat
down, he raised a brow. “The moonstone?”
“Oh, right.”
When I set my purse on my lap and opened the clasp, Ross
leaned over and peered inside, watching as I sorted through the
small drawstring bags.
“No, that’s a citrine,” I muttered, pushing it aside.
“What does that do?”
“Keeps fears away and promotes creativity,” I replied,
plucking up another bag. “That’s not it, either.”
“What’s that one?”
“Rose quartz. It helps bolster trust and happiness in
relationships.”
He nodded, then pointed to the bright red stone inside my
purse. “And that?”
 “It’s a ruby.” I could feel my cheeks growing warm.
“For?”
“Improving vitality and sensuality.”
A slow smirk kicked up one side of his mouth. “It’s a sex
stone?”
“Among other things.” I quickly shoved it way down in the
bottom.
“Um, princess, I have a question.”
Though I’d made love to Ross all night—in my dreams—I
wasn’t brave enough to have a discussion about sex with the
man…at least, not yet.
“Yes?” I whispered, angst spiking.
“Why are you carrying around a purse full of rocks?”
“They’re not rocks,” I sighed. Spying the moonstone, I
pulled it from its bag. “They’re crystals. They—”
“No, I get that. I’m asking why are they the only things in
your purse?”
“I left my smudge sticks and oils back at the hotel because
I didn’t think I’d need them.”
“O-okay…that makes sense, I guess.” I had to give Ross
credit. He tried to mask the fact that he thought me completely
insane. “Is this the kind of stuff you learn about at your
ecovillage?”
“Some. I’ve learned about a lot of things on my own, and
from the others.” I took his hand, turned it over, and placed the
moonstone in his wide palm. “Here, you keep this one.”
A mischievous glint sparked his eyes. “I’d rather have the
ruby.”
I burst out laughing. “Okay, I believe you now. You are a
very bad man, in a very good way.”
“No, he’s an asshole, but we still love him,” Syd drawled,
then blew air-kisses at Ross as he and the rest of the others
joined us.
 “Better than being a douchebag like you,” Ross countered
dryly.
“Are we interrupting anything?” Sofia asked with a
hopeful little smile.
“Nope.” Ross shook his head. “Harmony was getting ready
to tell me about her ecovillage.”
“I was?” I blanched and caught Quinn sending me a barely
perceptible nod. “Oh, right…I was.”
“Ecovillage? What’s that?” Darren asked.
“It’s like a commune, but you don’t want people calling it
that, do you?” Ross asked.
“Not really.”
“How long have you lived in an ecovillage?” Sofia asked
pretending to be surprised.
“I-I was born there.”
“Wow. That sounds cool…I want to hear all about it.” She
grinned with a smile so completely accepting, I wanted to
weep and thank her for being so kind.
“Do you want the condensed version or—”
“No. We want the whole thing.” Ross winked.
“Okay, back in the summer of 1970, during the height of
the Vietnam War, there were protests, and sit-in’s and love-
in’s…and then the tragedy at Kent State happened.”
“I read about that in history class.” Darren nodded.
“It shook everyone to the core, especially my
grandparents, who were both attending Berkeley. They were
so convinced that the world was on the edge of destruction that
they gathered up a bunch of their like-minded, free-spirited
friends, loaded up their belongings, and headed east. They
almost settled in the Rockies but decided to keep going.
“Late one night they were traveling the backroads of
Kentucky, deep in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains,
when they came upon an old man whose car had broken down
on the side of the road. My grandpa and some of his friends
liked rebuilding cars, so they stopped to help.” I paused for a
second and looked around the table. Though everyone seemed
genuinely enthralled, I worried they might be getting bored.
“This really is a long story.”
“Keep going,” Ross urged. “It’s fascinating.”
The others agreed, so I continued.
“The old man was in tears. His name was Bodhi Floyd. His
wife, Helen, had just died of cancer. He was so heartbroken;
he’d planned to drive his car off the side of a bridge a few
miles down the road, but his car just stopped running.”
“Helen didn’t want Bodhi to drive off that bridge,” Mia
whispered.
“No, she didn’t, and that’s exactly what my grandma told
him. It was too dark for the guys to work on his car, so they
tied a rope to the bumper and towed it back to his house.
Bodhi invited them to camp out on his mountain for the night,
which they did. The next day, my grandpa and the other men
fixed his car, but they never left. Bodhi enjoyed having all the
young people around him so much he forgot all about ending
his life. Instead, he started helping the group plant crops and
build houses, right there on his mountain.
“Six months later, he joined everyone around the nightly
campfire and passed an envelope to my grandpa. It was a deed
to the mountain…Bodhi gave his mountain to my grandpa and
his friends. That same night, that sweet old man died in his
sleep.”
“Wow,” Ross murmured.
“They buried him beneath a big pine tree that looks out
over a beautiful valley. Every morning, one of us from the
group goes and visits his grave. We talk to him, leave him
flowers, pinecones, and even a shot glass of mead from time to
time.” I couldn’t help but smile thinking about some of the
conversations I’d shared with the old man I’d never even
met…but whose generosity touched my life in every way.
 “Six months later, my dad was born, and my grandparents
named him Bodhi.”
“Do your parents still live on the mountain?” Ozzy asked.
“My dad does. My mom…left.”
“Why?” Mia asked, face filled with sadness.
“People come and people go on the mountain. It’s what
they do. If the wind calls them, they leave.”
I didn’t want to tell them the wind of greed had swept my
mother away, so I told them what life was like on the
mountain. About how my grandpa and his resourceful friends
had built restrooms and bath houses. How they extended
electric, water, and sewer lines from Bodhi and Helen’s house.
About how, a few years later, the original founders of Gaia
Garden turned the couple’s beloved farmhouse into our
general store.
Everyone had a million questions, but each asked with
genuine curiosity and sincerity. There wasn’t a hint of
judgment among any of them. I was in the middle of
explaining how we sheared the sheep and spun their wool for
blankets and sweaters when the alarm on Mia’s cell phone
began blaring.
“Time to get the fans warmed up for the bad boys of rock,”
she announced, wearing a tight smile.
“You got nothing to be nervous about, baby. Remember?”
Ozzy cocked his head as he stood and helped her from her
chair. Then he wrapped his arms around her, carefully
avoiding the wicked spikes on her corset.
“Nothing but twenty thousand plus people watching and
waiting for me to screw up.”
“You’re not going to screw up. I’ll be in the wings right
there with you. If you get nervous, glance my way. I’ll make
obscene tongue gestures at you.” He grinned then pressed a
kiss to her forehead.
“Then I will fuck up.” She rolled her eyes and drew in a
deep breath. “Okay, I’m ready.”
 As Mia, Ozzy, Duke, and Mick hurried out the door,
everyone else at the table stood. I didn’t know what was next
on their agenda, but it didn’t matter. I was bubbling with
excitement and ready to watch everyone perform.
Ross took my hand and glanced at his bandmates. “I’ll
meet you in the dressing room in a few. There’s something I
want to show Harmony.”
“Just go ahead and whip it out. We’ve all seen it before,”
Syd drawled.
“I haven’t.” Sofia held up her palm and turned her head.
“No offense, big guy, but I really don’t want to.”
“Fuck you,” Ross snarled at the bass player as he squeezed
my hand and led me out the door.
“Where are we going?”
“Down the hall to the elevator.”
“Then where?”
“You’ll see.”
 CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Ross

W hen Harmony told me she’d never been to a concert, I

knew I had to do something epic to ensure this night
was one she’d remember forever. Armed with one of the
security pass keys, I commandeered the private elevator, then
hurried her across the hall to the vacant VIP hospitality suite.
“Close your eyes,” I whispered as I shoved the keycard
into the lock.
Instantly, her lids slid shut. I stared at the dark lashes
kissing the tops of her cheeks and filled my lungs with the
same sweet scent that had taunted me all through dinner.
“Ross?”
Clearly, she was growing impatient and curious. The old
Ross would have tortured her by making her wait another
minute or two. And while my Dominant longings had
sputtered to life since meeting her, I couldn’t let that man take
charge anymore. It wasn’t safe.
Wrapping my arm around her waist, I led Harmony to the
wall of heavily tinted windows that overlooked the arena. The
place was packed, as always. Big, colorful beachballs tumbled
over the crowd only to be launched high in the air. I pressed
my palm against the glass, feeling the vibration from the
thousands of boisterous voices below.
“Give me your hand.”
 Without the slightest hesitation, Harmony complied. She
was so willing, so trusting. The beast within snarled, impatient
for me to spew more directives, like… Kneel for me, princess.
Sucking in a breath to push down the weight of command
filling my lungs, I cupped her hand and pressed her palm to
the glass.
“Whoa, what is that? It…it tickles.”
I leaned in close, barely resisting the urge to flick my
tongue along the shell of her ear, and whispered, “Open your
eyes, little girl.”
The instant she lifted her lashes, she jerked her hand from
the glass and drew it to her mouth as she gasped. “Oh, my…
Oh, my goodness. Ross…there’s a million people down there.”
“Not quite, though it looks that way, doesn’t it?”
“I’ve never seen so many people in one place in my life.
Oh, my goodness. They’re…everywhere.” She continued
skimming her wide eyes over the crowd as if struggling to take
it all in. “Can they see us?”
“No.” I pointed to the dark coating on the glass. “The
owner of this suite likes anonymity.”
“Got it. Wow…so, so many people. Now I understand why
Mia is nervous. I can’t imagine the courage it takes to step out
on that stage and face…all that.”
A low chuckle rumbled from my chest as I silently
watched her try to absorb it all. The wonder and awe
glistening in her eyes and written on her face ignited memories
of my own giddy excitement the first time we’d played a
packed arena like this.
“Since I didn’t think you’d say yes if I invited you to join
me on stage—”
“Absolutely not.” She snapped her head toward me.
Fear was etched so deeply in her pretty face that I couldn’t
keep from stroking her flesh to smooth it away. A shiver
quaked her as the air between us turned thick and pulsing in
need. Her plump, glossy lips called to me like a beacon in a
storm. And as her enticing pillows parted slightly, my cock
turned to granite.
Without thinking, I cupped her nape, then leaned in to taste
her tempting lips. The voice in my head began to shriek, Don’t
do it. Don’t even think about it, fucker. You’ll lose control and
wind up killing her, too.
My blood turned to ice. Every muscle in my body seized
as memories, I had no business revisiting surged to the surface
sending my heart slamming against my ribs. Frantically
shoving the past down deep, I eased my hand from under her
hair and took a step back.
Harmony’s brows furrowed in disappointment as she
clutched my shirt and shook her head. “Don’t…don’t pull
away. Please. I need you to kiss me…kiss me like you care.”
“But I don’t,” I lied.
“Yes, you do. I know you do. You wouldn’t have brought
me here and shown me all this if you didn’t feel—”
“I was just being—”
“Nice? Yes, showing me your fans was beyond nice.” She
nodded, moving in closer, pressing her supple breasts against
my chest and tipping her head back until her lips were
perfectly poised beneath mine. “But I’m aching for you to do
something nicer…kiss me. Please.”
Harmony’s breathless plea shredded my resolve to ribbons.
Cupping her nape once more, I let the heat of her flesh sear
my palm.
Let her scent saturate my brain until I was dizzy.
Let myself get completely lost in those shimmering silver-
blue eyes.
I leaned in and hovered over her sinful mouth, savoring the
feel of her quick shallow breaths caress my lips.
“Please,” she whimpered.
Her eyes slid shut as she lifted her chin, sending her damp
exhalations dancing over my tongue. The little voice in my
head started to issue another warning, but the beast roared and
snarled, drowning out everything but the almighty need to
grant this delicate angel her wish.
“Oh, fuck, princess,” I softly growled.
Dropping my chin, I dissolved against her silky lips.
Instead of eating at her like a man possessed, to scare her
away, I took my time and savored the texture and taste of her
sweet mouth. Relished the sound of her soft kitten-like moans.
Memorized the feel of her slender arms now draped over my
wide shoulders, and the way her body aligned utterly perfectly
to mine.
Little by little, I ramped up the kiss and slid my tongue
along the seam of her lips. Taunting, teasing, I sought her
permission to glide past those plump pillows. I could taste the
hesitation and desire warring inside her. Unwilling to force my
way in, I coerced her with a deliberate and unhurried glide of
my tongue until Harmony slowly parted and welcomed me.
Tamping down the drumming desire to plunge deep and
claim her, I slowly worked my way into her soft liquid heat
while memorizing each velvety swell and crevice. I glided a
hand into her satiny curls, soft as summer rain, and clenched a
fist. Then holding her beneath my mouth, I notched the kiss
from smoldering to incinerating.
Mewling softly, Harmony rocked her hips, as if trying to
relieve the thunder of desire coalescing between her legs. The
unpracticed scrape of her feminine heat was wrecking me. My
cock throbbed and wept so badly I wanted to howl.
A second later, it hit me… I was touching, kissing, and
commanding Harmony yet still a hundred and ten percent in
control. What the fuck?
Where was the panic? The tsunami of guilt and anguish?
Though my beast was eager to claim and hungry to own, it
wasn’t poised to pounce, pacing, snarling, or tugging on its
chain. Instead, my sexual passions were patiently waiting and
watching as if knowing Harmony was far too pure and fragile
to expose to those dangerous desires.
 How long had this balance and stability been sleeping
inside me?
I didn’t have a clue. I’d been a coward…too scared to even
try to have a normal sex life again. It was easier to believe the
only way I could stay in control was by giving mine away.
I never intended to be your crutch, Angie’s voice
whispered through me.
No, but I’d used her as one all the same.
Harmony’s kiss was still searing my cells as I pulled back
and raised my heavy lids. Her eyes were closed. Her succulent
lips were swollen, glistening, and parted so sensually, so
willing, trusting, and ready it squeezed my heart.
Put the past to rest once and for all, Angie’s voice
whispered before floating away.
Yes, it was time, past time. I think, deep down, I’d known
that for years. I just didn’t know how. Was I brave enough to
let go of the guilt?
As if sensing my inner turmoil, Harmony lifted her thick
lashes and blinked up at me.
Her eyes were glazed in need. Her chest rose and fell with
each panted breath, and a low, needy moan seeped from her
throat. And at that moment, I knew with certain clarity that
this innocent, sheltered beauty might very well be my only
salvation. And that I would cut off my own arm and pull out
my heart before I’d ever hurt her in any way.
“I don’t know what’s happening. I feel like I’m going to
burst into flames.”
“Do you ache?” I asked, dragging my finger over her lush
bottom lip.
“Yes.”
“Is your body throbbing?” I whispered, brushing a barely
there caress up the outside swell of her breast.
“Like a drum,” she breathlessly groaned.
“Do you want me to make it feel better?”
 I couldn’t in good conscience let her continue to suffer like
this…couldn’t be a raging bastard and make her simmer all
night without helping her find the relief she so desperately
craved. Yeah, who was I kidding? I was crawling out of my
skin for the chance to feel, hear, and watch Harmony shatter.
“You can do that?”
“Absolutely, princess.”
“Yes…yes. I need you to make it stop.”
“Mmm, it’ll be my pleasure,” I moaned, dragging my
tongue up the column of her neck and nipping the lobe of her
ear. “It’s going to get a lot more intense before it stops. Do you
trust me…trust me to put my hands up your dress…dance my
fingers over your flesh, and put that fire out?”
“Oh, god,” she mewled. “It’s getting worse.”
“Do you trust me?”
“Yes. Yes. A million times yes.”
“That’s all I need to hear, princess.”
Meshing my lips to hers, I picked up where we’d left off,
as I skimmed my hand down her hip and under the short hem
of her shimmering dress. Her silky flesh warmed my palm as I
glided my hand up her slender leg—dragging the hem of her
dress with me. The heat of her untouched pussy enveloped my
fingers. When I reached the juncture of her thighs, ready to
slide my digits beneath the elastic of her panties, I was stunned
to discover that Harmony wasn’t wearing any.
Good, they’d only get in my way.
She sucked my tongue as if it were my cock, blowing my
mind and melting my resolve. Softly kneading the flesh at her
hip, I slid my thumb along the tender crease of her thigh.
Anticipating the feel of her soft, saturated curls grazing my
knuckles, I was perplexed when all I felt was heat…wet,
inviting heat. Dragging my lips down her neck, I eased back
and peeked between her legs.
The sight of her bare pussy knocked the breath from my
lungs and sent a whole new kind of fire erupting inside me.
 “Oh, princess…” I panted. “Did you do this for me?”
“What?” Harmony croaked in a half whisper, half-moan.
Reaching between her legs, I dragged the pads of my
fingers up her swollen folds. “You don’t have any hair down
here…did you do that for me?”
“Mia.”
“You shaved your pussy for…Mia?”
“No. She took me to a spa.”
“Ah. I like it…like it a lot. In fact—” I darted a glance
over my shoulder. When I spied the tall, marble-topped table,
like the island in my kitchen at home, I released Harmony’s
hair. Filling my palms with her luscious ass cheeks, I lifted her
off the floor. “Wrap your legs around me, princess.”
“W-where are we going?” she stammered as she complied.
“Right here,” I answered, setting her down on the tabletop.
“B-but why?”
“You still trust me?”
“Of course.”
“Then let me show you.” I claimed her mouth again and
cupped her tempting breasts.
As I brushed my thumbs over her pebbled nipples,
Harmony squealed and sank her fingernails into my biceps.
Oh, yes… She was nice and sensitive there. I wanted to spend
long hours torturing those tender tips and drinking in her cries
of desperation.
The need to feel the heat of her heavy orbs in my palms
pressed in all around me. I had to have my fingers, mouth,
teeth, and tongue on them, now.
Harmony mewled, moaned, and rocked on the marble
surface as I worked the sequin fabric off her shoulders.
Begrudgingly lifting from the addicting sweet warmth of her
mouth, I dragged my stare to her breasts and blinked at the
flower-shaped material stuck on the underside of each one.
 “What are these?” I asked, tracing a finger over one petal.
“It’s a bra but not a bra,” she panted.
“How do I get them off?”
“Peel them away.”
“Will it hurt…will they re-stick?”
“I don’t know…I don’t care, just get them off. Get
everything off. I’m burning alive.”
She had no idea how hot the flames were going to get.
“Hang on. I hope this doesn’t hurt,” I warned before
tearing the flowers away.
Harmony didn’t even bat a glassy, lust-filled eye. Tossing
the petals on the purse beside her, I cupped her breasts,
savoring the weight, heat, and how perfectly they filled my
hands. Then I gently brushed my thumbs over each stony
peak, growling as she gasped, groaned, and bounced her hips.
“Hang on, baby. If I do this right, you’re in for a wild
ride.” I sent her a smoldering smile.
“It’s already wild. I feel like I’m speeding toward…
something. I just don’t know what it is.”
Pausing, I hovered over one dusty-pink puckered nipple
and arched my brows. “You’ve had an orgasm before, right?”
“I-I don’t think so.”
“Do you masturbate?”
“No. I share a small trailer with my dad No privacy.”
“So you’ve never even touched this pretty pussy before?” I
asked lifting the hem of her dress and locking my stare on her
pink swollen folds.
“A couple times in the shower. There’s a little nub down
there that tingles when I touch it, but…”
“That nub is called a clit, and I can make it do a whole lot
more than tingle.”
“Why is it throbbing so hard?”
 “Because it needs relief, the relief I’m going to give you.”
“H-how?”
“Close your eyes, princess. I’ll take good care of you.”
Nibbling her bottom lip, Harmony nodded. Her dusty-pink
nipples, hard as ripe cherries, screamed for my attention. But I
refused to latch on to them until I worked her into a rolling
boil again. Sucking her bottom lip between my teeth, I pulled
her plump flesh into my mouth, tugging and laving, until our
tongues were tangling. Patience at a premium, I waited until
her needy whimpers vibrated across my tongue and the sexual
urgency in the room pegged the red. Then I made my move.
Strumming her nipples, I trailed kisses and love bites down her
slender throat before laving a trail of fire with my tongue to
each breast.
Harmony clutched my head and groaned as she arched her
back, eagerly imploring me to take my fill. I circled the
crinkled flesh of her areola before kissing my way to the other
and bestowing the same painstakingly slow attention.
“Ross,” she panted. “I’m burning from the inside out.”
“Relax. I’ll put out your flames.”
“Hurry,” she whimpered.
Not on your life.
Dipping my head, I opened wide and pulled her pillowy
flesh into my mouth. Humming with need, I laved her hard
nipples and lashed them with my tongue while drinking in her
mindless moans, whimpers, and squeals of needy agony. The
sensual music sliding from her throat was the sweetest song
I’d ever heard.
Sucking, nipping, tugging, and laving each beaded berry, I
lowered my hand between her legs and gently stroked the silky
bare flesh of her mound.
“Help me,” Harmony panted as she clutched my head and
writhed desperately.
“You won’t have to suffer much longer, princess.”
 Purposely steering clear of her engorged clit, I focused her
attention on every new sensation assaulting her body and
mind. When her frantic whimpers morphed into keening cries
of desperation, I pressed my fingers between her slippery
folds. Careful not to disturb her fragile membrane—I wanted
to save her one-time treasure for the night I could claim her
properly with my cock—I coated my fingers in her hot virgin
nectar.
Lifting my head, I watched pleasure play across her face,
watched the flush climb her flesh, and began slowly stroking
her swollen clit. Harmony’s legs fell open as she lifted her
heavy eyelids and panted out my name. Confusion and slivers
of fear skipped over her glassy eyes.
“I’ve got you, princess. You’re doing beautifully.”
Tracing my fingers around her flowing center, I dragged
my tongue up the inside of her thigh, wishing I was lapping
every drop from her sweltering slit. Cock screaming, I savored
every ripple of pleasure fluttering through her body. Pressing
two fingers against her hard clit, I stroked her with purpose.
When her limbs began to tremble and her keening cries
filled the room, my heart squeezed. I was the first man to ever
set her free. The first man to ever watch her come undone. The
first man to give this stunning young woman the ground-
quaking pleasure she deserved.
“That’s it… Let go and fly for me, princess.”
Holding my breath, I watched in awe as every muscle in
Harmony’s body seized.
Watched in rapture as she tossed her head back and
screamed my name.
Watched the waves of ecstasy pull her under a rolling tide
of powerful pulses and quivering pleasure.
My heart stopped.
My blood boiled.
Being the first man to ever see her shatter completely for
the first time was the single most life-altering experience of
my whole fucking life.
More potent and exhilarating than performing for the fans
below us.
More beautiful than any sunrise or sunset on Burk’s lanai
in Maui.
More addictive and euphoric than any drug I’d ever put in
my body.
More.
More.
Every cell inside me thundered for more.
Dragging my fingers from Harmony’s clutching folds, I
licked and sucked them clean. Her tart, warm nectar danced
over my taste buds as I slid a gaze up her flushed body and
smiled at her dreamy, sated stare.
More.
More.
As the unrelenting chat drummed through me, I eased
Harmony back onto the marble surface, laving and sucking her
nipples, before claiming her mouth in a soulful, passionate
kiss.
“Ross,” she whispered, cupping my cheek.
“More.”
“What?”
“I want more.”
“B-but… I don’t think I can do that again.”
“Shhh. Close your eyes and feel. I’ll take care of the rest.”
Still floating in the clouds, Harmony issued a gratified sigh
as her eyes slid shut.
As I skimmed my hands up her legs, the lights in the arena
dimmed and a spotlight hit the stage.
Fuck.
 Mia was about to perform.
The cell phone in my pocket began to vibrate.
Double fuck.
I was running out of time.
Sorry, guys, you’re gonna have to wait. I’m not passing up
the chance to taste Harmony for you or anyone else.
Gliding my hands up her slender thighs, I parted her legs
and stared at her wet pink folds, all swollen and begging for
my tongue. The weight of being the first man to lay his tongue
on her innocent slit crashed through me and nearly stopped my
heart. The demand to release my throbbing cock, squeeze
through her tiny passage and claim her innocence, own every
drop of her sweet purity, was a living, breathing entity all its
own.
Not here, my beast growled.
Right. This was definitely not the place to make her a
woman. Harmony’s first time needed to be special, something
she could look back on and smile about, not cringe. There was
nothing special about a kitchen island in the middle of some
stranger’s suite at Madison Square Garden with thousands of
fans beyond the glass.
I wanted to take my time and savor every drop of
Harmony’s feminine spice. But when I lowered my head and
swiped my tongue up her slick, hot center, the taste of her
silky juices—coupled with the launch of her hips and gasp of
surprise—annihilated want, replacing it with ball-churning
demand.
Lapping at her silky passage, I drank down every drop
spilling from inside her. As moans, whimpers, and
unintelligible words spilled off her tongue, I made passionate
love to her with my lips, teeth, and tongue. Afraid of rupturing
her precious hymen, I kept my fingers busy, pinching, tugging,
and strumming her hard nipples. Inundating her with pleasure,
I could feel the lightning slicing through her sizzling on my
tongue. The wonder and elation swelling inside her wrapped
me and melted the chains that had been binding my heart for
what felt like a lifetime.
Lost in the awakening happening inside me, I wasn’t ready
to let these priceless moments end. But Harmony’s keening
cries, echoing in my ears, told me she was ready to fly away
again.
I wrapped my lips around her clit, suckled it into my
mouth, and batted the sensitive nub with my tongue. At the
same time, I rubbed the hard tips of Harmony’s nipples
between my fingers and thumbs, and as her body began to
tremble once more, I tugged her erect tips and pressed my
tongue to her clit.
Harmony didn’t scream my name…she growled it, like a
wild animal.
The beast within me answered with a satisfied purr, as if
sensing it had finally found its mate.
 CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Harmony

I continued floating on some distant planet when Ross

helped ease me onto a tall, padded stool backstage. Body
humming sweetly, I could still feel his heated breath rippling
over my needy girl parts…feel his soft tongue sliding up my
seam, sending shockwaves that both demolished me and
brought me to life.
With a cocky smirk, a sexy wink, and my whole heart in
his hands, Ross and his band brothers raced onto the stage.
The fans went berserk. Their cheers and screams were
deafening. And like a nova, the electricity in the air went from
sizzling to supercharged.
Beside me, Mia and Sofia joined in with the fans,
whistling and cheering for the guys. Though my throat was a
little raw from panting, moaning, and screaming Ross’s name,
I let out a long, loud whoop as he flashed me another hot wink
before raising his sticks in the air and slamming them down
with a chest-vibrating thud.
He played the drums with such compelling command that I
couldn’t look away. I was mesmerized with every bulge of his
biceps, bob of his head, and the way he sank his teeth into his
bottom lip. Each time he leaned in close to the microphone to
sing, I wanted to straddle his hips and kiss the lyric off his
tongue.
A shiver of longing sputtered up my spine.
 The man defied nature.
His kisses were like biting into a ripe, summer peach. I
couldn’t get my fill of his flavor or the plump, soft flesh of his
tongue.
Every touch, lick, nip, and tug Ross bestowed sent an
avalanche of splendor thundering through me. But what
completely blew my mind was how he’d coaxed those
magnificent explosions that had been hidden inside me.
I felt alive—completely and utterly alive in ways I’d never
known possible.
Was it wrong that my mind, body, and soul were already
screaming for more?
Screaming for the taste of his kiss.
Screaming for the feel of his talented tongue teasing and
toying the nub still throbbing between my folds.
Screaming for his capable fingers to trace torturous circles
around my wet, quivering entrance.
Screaming for him to roll, pinch, and pluck my sensitive
nipples.
Screaming for him to send me soaring into the heavens to
explode.
Screaming for another fix of Ross-induced ecstasy, like a
strung-out addict.
“Aren’t they amazing?” Sofia yelled over the driving
rhythm of the music and Burk’s raspy voice crying out the
lyrics.
“More than amazing,” I screamed with a nod.
“So, what did Ross show you after dinner?”
What it feels like to be a woman fully awake and alive.
I leaned in close to Sofia’s ear and told her about him
taking me to the VIP suite, and how stunned I’d been to see all
the fans. When she pulled back, there was a knowing twinkle
in her eyes, but she didn’t ask anything more. Even if she had,
I wouldn’t have confessed what Ross and I had done. Those
precious moments with him were now sacred. I wouldn’t share
them with anyone.
Focusing on the concert, I begrudgingly floated back to
earth, only to be lifted off the ground by my fluttering heart
each time Ross flashed me a lurid stare. The hungry
expression on his face telling me he was remembering our
wonderfully wicked time alone sent flames licking up my
body. And just when I was seconds away from combusting
into a fireball of lust, he’d send me a cocky smile and lose
himself in the music again.
Ross Walker was a bad boy, and I couldn’t wait to get
naughty with him again.
When they finished their song about rocking the stars, and
the clamor from the crowd started to dim, Burk tugged the mic
from its stand.
“We’re not a ballad kind of band, but we’re going to slow
it down a bit so I can pay tribute to my lady. She’s the
salvation of my sins. The anchor that keeps my soul from
blowing away. The light and love of my life. This is…
‘Sofia.’” Burk turned and blew her a kiss.
As Ozzy began playing soft, slow notes on his keyboard,
Ross gripped his sticks with the same command and control as
before. But when he started tapping out the serene beat, I sat
gaping at him, watching in awe. He’d gone from banging his
drums with the power of Zeus, to stroking them like a lover’s
caress.
Drums are my life.
Yes, and with crystal clarity, I knew why.
Ross only allowed himself to truly feel when he played the
drums.
The realization planted seeds that sprouted a garden of
questions.
Was this the only way he could vent his emotions?
 Or had Ross simply switched one addiction for another in
order to avoid them?
It wasn’t hard to imagine he’d sought to escape Sylvia’s
ugliness through cocaine. If so, cutting the cancerous woman
from his life showed tremendous growth. But something told
me that scenario was too convenient…too easy.
Since I had no baseline to compare who Ross had been
then to the man he was now, I couldn’t even make an educated
guess. Of course, it was way too soon to apply any theories
since we’d only been thrust together yesterday. Still, I couldn’t
suppress the need to learn everything about the man.
Patience and perseverance are key to achieving any goal.
The sage wisdom of my father echoed in my ears. So did the
thousands of fans who were screaming their lungs out as Burk
crooned out the last note of his song to Sofia.
Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she blew him a
watery kiss.
The heartfelt connection the couple shared sent goose
bumps peppering my flesh.
I’d always dreamed of finding my own Prince Charming—
what little girl didn’t? But the dating pool back home was only
a bucket…no, more like a coffee cup.
“Thank you,” Burk cried into his microphone. “It’s great to
be back in the Big Apple. We’ve missed you guys.” Another
roar exploded from the crowd. “We’ve got another show here
tomorrow night then we’ll be taking off, down the… ‘Dirty
Road.’”
Once again, the fans went wild. As Burk started singing
about a band rolling into a new town every night, about city
lights looking all the same, about how lonely life was traveling
all the time and how he couldn’t wait to get off the “Dirty
Road,” I realized then, that was the title of the song.
The lyrics made me sad.
Until now, I hadn’t considered how lonely and isolated life
for the guys must be. Sure, they all had homes—several, from
what Sofia and Mia had told me—but they only had time to
visit them a few months out of the year. They never had time
to put down roots and let them grow.
Still, each of the guys seemed to find joy, honest-to-god
happiness, performing music.
Lost in the lyrics of the songs that followed, the cacophony
of the crowd, and energy zipping through the air, I jolted back
to reality when Burk gave a mighty wave and yelled, “Good
night, New York.”
Clearly, the fans didn’t want the concert to end. They
screamed louder than ever, pounded their seats, and stomped
their feet as the guys, glistening beneath a sheen of sweat and
wearing massive smiles—yes, even Ross whose was nothing
short of panty-melting (if I’d worn any)—hurried backstage.
Mindless of their sweat-soaked bodies and clothing, Sofia
and Mia hugged their men, laughing and kissing them wildly.
I gazed at Ross, wishing I could kiss him as tingles
assaulted my system. Out of the blue, a vision of him, on the
mountain back home, dripping in sweat from working hard in
the sun, flashed through my brain. Blinking the absurd visual
away, I studied the rivulets of sweat sliding down his face and
the shimmering gloss coating his sun-kissed, muscular arms.
His sleeveless black tee was completely saturated and clung to
his body, outlining every hard ridge and plane of his six-pack
abs and sculpted pecs.
I watched as he grabbed a bottle of water from a vat of ice,
guzzled it down in three huge gulps, then wiped a towel over
his face and head before striding toward me.
“So? What did you think of your first concert?” Ross
yelled so I could hear him over the still screaming fans.
“It was amazing. I love your music and the lyrics are…
beautiful.”
“So you’re not disappointed huh?”
“Not at all. You guys are great. But your pre-show
performance was way better,” I blurted—obviously too loudly
when everyone whipped their heads our way.
 A wicked smile tugged Ross’s mouth. “Say the word and
I’ll give you another private performance any time you want
it.”
Now. Now would be great.
“So that’s why you’re smiling, huh?” Syd laughed. “Damn,
we should have gotten you laid years ago.”
“Fuck off. You have no idea what you’re talking about,
asshole,” Ross growled.
“Save it for later, you two,” Burk scolded with a grin. “It’s
encore time, gentlemen.”
“Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be back in a flash,” Ross
murmured in my ear, sliding a knuckle along the side of my
thigh. A tremor shot through me as he turned and joined the
others hurrying back onto the stage.
“I told you that dress looked shit hot on you.” Mia grinned.
“I’m just surprised it’s still in one piece. I figured once Ross
got you alone, he would have ripped it to shreds getting it off
so he could get inside you.”
“Oh, no.” I shook my head. “He didn’t… We didn’t…have
sex.” Well, not technically.
“What?” Sofia gaped. “Then why is he actually smiling?”
“Show us your knees,” Mia ordered before bending and
studying them.
“My knees? Why?”
“To see if that smile of his is from a little oral action. You
know…” She cupped her hand and drew it to her open mouth,
then bobbed her head.
My cheeks caught fire and I adamantly shook my head.
“No. I didn’t do anything like… No.”
The two women simultaneously darted a glance at each
other.
Sofia sent me a soft smile. “Honey, are you still a virgin?”
“Why does it matter?” I asked, feeling suddenly defensive.
 “Oh, Quinn. That stupid bastard,” Mia groaned.
“What does Quinn have to do with this?”
“Quinn has everything to do with…” Sofia peered over her
shoulder and glanced at the promotor having a conversation
with some guy in a suit. “I’ll be right back.”
“Wait,” I barked. Sliding off the stool, I nearly moaned at
the luscious ache between my legs. “What are you doing?”
“Going to give him a piece of my mind,” she huffed.
“No. Don’t. H-he told me it was okay if I needed to…you
know…do things to help reach Ross.”
“Do what things?” Sofia eyed me cautiously.
“You know…have sex.”
“He tried to pimp you out?” Mia blanched, eyes nearly
bulging out of her skull. “Don’t move. We’ll be back.”
Before I could stop them, the two women stormed Quinn’s
direction. I whipped a worried gaze at Ross—whose brows
instantly slashed in concern—and wondered how long before
he learned the truth and the world fell out from under my feet.
Ross kept his eyes locked on me as they finished one song
and immediately began playing another. I tried to send him a
reassuring smile, but it felt more like a grimace. After what
seemed a million interminable minutes, the two women
returned, looking angrier than when they’d left.
“What happened? What did you say to him?”
“Well, Mia threatened to find another agent while I chewed
him a new asshole.”
“Oh, god. No. Please tell me you didn’t do that.”
“Damn right we did,” Mia railed, slapping her hands on
her hips. “Quinn stepped way the fuck out of line. He had no
right to suggest—”
“Or even allude to you having sex with Ross,” Sofia
interrupted.
 “It’s a good thing he’s flying back to Chicago after the
show, or I would need a new agent once Oz finds out about
this,” Mia fumed.
“No. No. You can’t tell Ozzy. You can’t tell anyone,” I
begged.
“Listen, honey,” Sofia said, taking my hand. “You need to
sit Ross down and tell him the truth.”
“B-but Quinn said—”
“Fuck what Quinn said,” Mia spat. “Clearly, you and Ross
have forged a bond these past few days. If he finds out you’ve
kept the truth from him, the smiles that have started lighting
up his face will disappear forever.”
“I’m with Mia on this, Harmony. You need to tell him.”
Maybe they were right. The goddess of wisdom was
named Sofia. But…
“What happens if Ross really quits this time? What will
that do to him…to the others?”
Sofia nibbled her bottom lip. “I know we made a pinky
promise, but I really need to tell Burk what’s going on.”
“Oh, god. I knew it. This is going to blow up in my face.”
“If it does, Burk will intervene. He might not be able to
stop Ross from killing Quinn, but he’ll be able to help him see
reason. I hope.”
Once again, a deafening roar erupted from the fans when
Burk yelled good night. Ross still hadn’t taken his eyes off me,
even as he and the others rushed off stage.
Without a word or wiping the sweat from his body again,
Ross charged straight to me and plucked me off the stool.
“What are you doing?” I asked, darting a nervous glance at
Sofia and Mia, who were greeting their men with far less gusto
than before.
“Taking you someplace we can talk,” he bit out setting me
on my feet.
 “About what?”
“Don’t know yet, but I aim to find out.”
Clutching my hand, Ross led me past the equipment trunks
stacked backstage. As we approached the hallway, I almost
stumbled when I saw dozens of barely dressed women, lining
the halls. The air was thick with desperation and hope and the
mixture of strong perfumes.
“Who are all those women?” I whispered.
“Band bunnies.”
“What are they doing?”
“Waiting to get laid,” Ross murmured. Releasing my hand,
he tucked his around my waist and pulled me in close to his
side. “Ignore them. I do.”
The instant the band bunnies spied Ross, the desperation in
the air turned so thick I could barely breathe. They all started
screaming his name and racing toward him.
“Back off,” he barked with an angry scowl.
Most did, but the ones who didn’t, Ross had to push his
way through while they pelted me with hateful glares and
hurtful insults. Horrible things like whore, lucky slut, ugly cow,
and nasty bitch.
Finally, Ross stopped and narrowed his eyes at a young
dark-haired woman with long, thick eyelashes, and boobs that
were straining from a bra three sizes too small.
“Step away from my dressing room door.”
“Or what, handsome?” the woman asked coyly. “Come on,
Ross. We both know I can rock your world a million times
better than that—”
“Choose your next word carefully, cunt,” he snarled.
“Wow. You’re an asshole.” The woman’s lip curled in
disdain as she pushed off the doorframe. “I wouldn’t let you
fuck me if yours was the last cock on the planet.”
 Ignoring the crude woman, Ross quickly unlocked the
door, ushered me inside, and kicked it shut. Whirling around,
he pinned me with a hard stare.
“What happened backstage between you and the girls?”
“Nothing.”
“I realize we haven’t known each other long, but don’t
insult me and lie to my face.”
Ross didn’t have to yell the last word to make me feel any
worse. I was already drowning in guilt for trying to hang on to
my stupid secret. He’d done nothing to deserve my deception.
In fact, aside from our first kiss, he’d gone out of his way to
prove what a shockingly benevolent man he could be.
The truth shall set you free, Daddy’s voice reverberated in
my brain.
Yeah, it was either set me free or bury me beneath a pile of
rubble.
Lifting my chin, I squared my shoulders and drew in a
deep breath. “You’re right. We haven’t known each other very
long. I have something to tell you, even though you’ll
probably send me back home, hate me for the rest of your life,
and maybe even quit the band.”
Ross reared back, then clenched his jaw as if preparing
himself for the worst.
He was definitely going to hate me, all right. Sending up a
mess of prayers all at once, I asked Athena for the courage to
confess the truth, Demeter to help soften the blow of my
deception, and begged Hestia for Ross to somehow forgive
me.
Okay, so Hestia would probably roll her eyes and turn
away, since I was responsible for mucking up the universe to
begin with. But I wasn’t above begging the powers of every
deity in my arsenal to ensure Ross didn’t quit the band.
The hope of saving my family or finding redemption for
myself was gone, and there was only myself to blame. I’d
made the wrong choices, pretended to be someone I wasn’t,
and tried to bend the laws to suit my needs—knowing full well
those walls were the pillars of tranquility. It was time for me to
atone for my sins, and I was ready to accept whatever
punishment the goddesses deemed I’d earned.
“Why in the fuck would I hate you or quit the band?”
“Because I lied to you.”
“About?”
“I wasn’t hired to play your pretend girlfriend. At least not
at first.”
Confusion wrinkled his brow while questions swirled in
his narrowed eyes.
“What were you initially hired to do?”
A million ugly emotions wrapped their icy hands around
my throat and squeezed.
“To replace the darkness inside you with light and love. To
open your heart and bring happiness and balance to your soul
again.”
Ross cocked his head and stared at me as if I were a
ghostly apparition his mind couldn’t accept. My heart
thundered in my chest, pulverizing the glorious strides I’d
made with him these past two days.
His silence was deafening.
The flare of his nostrils and the muscles ticking in his jaw
sent claws of dread scaling my body. It didn’t seem possible
that a few hours ago he’d dissolved me beneath an onslaught
of pleasure. Now, I was dissolving beneath an onslaught of
shame.
“You lied to me. Lied to the man you were hired to help. I
suppose there’s some crystal in your purse that makes that
okay.”
I shook my head.
“What is it with you women? Is lying a part of your
genetic code? Is it threaded through your DNA or something?
Or is it a skillset you learn? Tell me, at what age do mothers
pull their girls aside and teach them how to lie and betray
men? Is it a contest? Do girls earn badges and trophies and shit
for whoever tells a man the biggest lie?” Ross was screaming
so loudly that my bones vibrated. The sizzling-hot waves of
rage pouring off him were singeing my skin. “Let me fill you
in on a little secret, princess. Your pussy and tits are for
fucking, not for fucking men over.”
He shifted a furious glare toward the door and whispered,
“Get out.”
“Ross, please. Let me explain.”
“Get. The. Fuck. Out. Of. My. Sight. Now!” he roared.
 CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Ross

T he tears in Harmony’s eyes as she turned and raced from

my dressing room barely registered in my brain. I was
completely consumed by the molten rage I hadn’t let take
control over me in over four miserable years laying waste to
every shred of humanity in my system.
Please, Ross. Let me explain.
Please, Ross. Let me explain.
Those same five words, though uttered by another woman
—the ghost still haunting me relentlessly—sliced open the
arteries of my mind, heart, body, and soul.
Gnashing my teeth together, I let out a feral roar.
Pacing the room, I tried to outrun the horrific memories
spewing like a geyser and thundering through me with a pain
so relentless and ruthless I could barely breathe.
Unable to harness my panic, guilt, and rage, I raced to the
door and gripped the handle. I knew beyond the portal there
was a woman all too eager to be used and tossed away, who
had a little bag of magic powder, tucked in her bra or purse,
that could take these brutal memories away.
All I had to do was open the door and tell her to bring in
the candy.
Saliva pooled in my mouth.
 My heart skipped a terrified staccato against my ribs.
Ignoring the anxiety rolling up my body, my fingers flexed
for a fix.
Desire dripped sweat down my face, and hunger hummed
in my limbs.
As the straitjacket of pain cinched tighter around me, the
temptation to float away grew more appealing.
Gripping the knob with all my might, I closed my eyes and
dragged in a ragged breath.
One day at a time.
I’m in charge of my life story.
Repeating the affirmations that got me through the first
few days in rehab, I released the doorknob and took a step
back. I wasn’t going to blow my sobriety over Harmony’s lie.
But rage was blistering me alive.
With a feral roar, I bent and hoisted the heavy loveseat
beside me over my head, then heaved it across the room. I
watched it sail through the air and crash into the big mirror on
the other wall, shattering like my life had that horrible night
when I’d lost it all.
I stared at the shimmering fragments littering the floor
with the same eyes I’d helplessly watched the life slide from
her body with. The room melted away as memories charged
my brain, making me relive the helpless heartbreak, horror,
and guilt.
I’m sorry. The last words she’d whispered wended through
me like smoke-wrapped razor blades, slicing me to shreds as
they blew past.
Tears slid down my cheeks.
A mournful howl tore from the back of my throat and I
crumpled to the floor, unable to support myself beneath the
weight of sorrow and shame.
The door flew open and Burk darted inside. I didn’t try to
hide my tears or mask my pain, I simply looked up at him and
whispered, “I need a line.”
Swallowing tightly, Burk dropped to the floor beside me
and slung his arm over my shoulder. “I’ll get you a line,
brother…a lifeline. Hang tight.”
Burk pulled his cell out and started scrolling through his
contacts as I wiped my tears and struggled to pull myself
together. After tapping the screen, he held the device to his ear.
“Paul, it’s Burk.” The singer paused for a couple seconds.
“Not good. Here he is. Work your magic, man. Work it hard.”
He handed me his phone and clasped his hand around
mine. “You’ve got this, brother. I have faith in you. Climb
back on top of it. You control it; it doesn’t control you. Got
it?”
“Yeah.” I nodded grimly.
“I’ll be back in a few.”
As he headed toward the door, I called out to him. “Tell
her I’m sorry.”
“Tell her yourself, fucker.” He winked and left the room.
“Sorry to bother you,” I said into the phone and cracked a
smile when my longtime sponsor, Paul, started cussing me out
—like the sailor he once was—for apologizing.
When he was through chewing me out, I spilled my guts.
Told him about Angie finding a boyfriend. About Harmony
joining the tour and how the innocent beauty flipped every
fucking switch in my system. About shutting Sylvia out of my
life and hiring Bernie. And how I stupidly let Harmony inside
my walls only to have her lie to me.
“I don’t believe my luck. The first fucking woman I let get
close to me in all these years, and she’s another fucking liar.”
“First of all, did Harmony actually lie or did she just not
tell you everything you thought you deserved to hear?” Paul
asked.
“Semantics, man. Omission of facts is the same as lying.”
 “Not necessarily. After you blew a gasket about her being
your fake girlfriend, she was probably scared shitless to tell
you the rest.”
“Maybe I should quit. It’s the only way to keep Quinn
from sticking his damn nose in my business.”
“Oh, so you’re just going to let him win, huh?” Paul
scoffed.
I knew he was only giving me a much-needed dose of
tough love, but the cocksucker was pissing me off.
“You do realize Quinn’s the one who set you up, right?”
Paul chided. “Harmony is nothing but a pawn in his game. Yet
you’re blaming her for the lie.”
“She didn’t have to lie for him.”
“Sure she did. He’s the fucker signing her paycheck?”
“I offered her double to walk the fuck away.”
“You should have offered her double to do what she’s
doing.”
“What? Pissing me off?”
“No. Making you finally feel something, asshole.”
I loved the man for making me own my shit and at the
same time, hated him for it.
“I think your girl never wanted to lie to you from the get-
go. And the only reason you thought about throwing your
sobriety out the window when the truth came out is because
you’re already a little bit in love with her. Which, I’m sure,
royally fucks you up since you now think she’s playing you
exactly like Lil—”
“Don’t say her name,” I growled.
“I’ll fucking say her name any goddamn time I want to.
Lily. Lily. Lily. There. And here’s a newsflash for you—before
our conversation is over, you’re going to say her name as
well.”
“I’m two seconds from hanging up, fucker,” I snarled.
 “Go ahead. Hang up the phone, you stubborn prick. I’ve
got Quinn’s number.”
“Goddammit, Paul,” I barked.
“Goddammit, Ross. Open your fucking eyes.” Paul paused
and took a deep breath. “You can’t keep wrapping the chains
of guilt around your neck. They’ll only weigh you down until
you finally give up and start spreading a few lines out on a
mirror. Stop letting the past dictate your future. You’re smarter
than that. Where’s your fucking gratitude list? You’ve got the
brass ring in your hand. Hold on to it. If you’re too scared to
hang on to Harmony, at least hold on to the ring. But don’t you
dare let go because you’re afraid to tell your ghosts goodbye.”
As usual, Paul was right. I was scared. Scared to let go of
Lily. Scared to let Harmony in. Scared to say goodbye to her
in six short months. Scared to say goodbye to either of them
and be left with nothing but empty nights, bittersweet
memories, and bitter guilt.
Pinching my lips together, I let his words turn over in my
head.
“I’ll catch the next flight to New York if you need me,”
Paul offered.
A warm smile tugged my lips. “No, man. I’m good. I’ll be
all right now. Thanks.”
“Remember, no matter what—”
“Comes my way, I can handle it. Yeah, I know. But I never
expected anyone like Harmony to come my way.”
“She’s only there because you’re ready for her to be in
your life. Don’t blow it. And I damn well expect to meet this
girl when your tour is over.”
“Yeah, well, she might be back on her mountain in
Kentucky by then.”
“I hope, for your sake, she’s not.”
Me, too.
“You know what you need to do next, right?”
 “Yeah, yeah.”
“Tell me anyway.”
“I need to go find her, apologize, and tell her about…” I
swallowed tightly and closed my eyes. Then I drew in a deep
breath. “About…Lily.”
“You’re going to be fine, fucker. Just fine. If the road starts
to crumble again, pick up the phone. All right?”
“Will do.”
“Promise?”
“Yeah, Mom. I promise.”
“You’re a good boy, Ross,” Paul howled as I ended the
call.
A second later, Burk returned, eyeing me pensively. “You
okay?”
“I am now.” I nodded. I stood and handed him his phone.
“Where’s Harmony?”
“She’s on the bus with everyone but Syd. He’s in his
dressing room playing Daddy’s gonna make you scream with a
couple of groupies.”
“How is she? Is she—”
“A mess? Yeah, a hot fucking mess right now.”
“Shit.” I sighed. “I need to talk to her.”
“You might want to leave her alone for a few days…just
sayin’.”
I shook my head. “I can’t. I need to fix this now.”
“Well, you’re gonna have to get through two pissed-off
women, and an overbearing bus driver first.”
“Whatever it takes.”
Burk arched his brows. “You’re really falling for her,
aren’t you?”
“I’m not falling. I already landed.”
 “Son of a bitch.” Burk grinned. “First time I laid eyes on
Sofia, I fell like a fucking sequoia. Best damn day of my life.”
I chuckled.
“Looks like Syd’s the last man standing.”
“Doubt it. I’m sure he’s got one of those groupies beneath
him giving her the best ten seconds of her life,” I drawled as
we left the dressing room and made our way to the bus.
Though Paul had helped me get my head on straight and
my shit under control, the ground beneath my feet was still
uneven. I had a feeling it wouldn’t level out until I made
amends with Harmony.
What if she didn’t accept my apology?
What if she decided she’d had enough and quit?
Worry knotted my gut as I pushed past the heavy metal
doors and jogged to the coach. As I leapt up the stairs, all
heads turned my way. Ignoring the collective looks of
contempt pelting me, I couldn’t do the same for the crushing
sobs emanating from the back of the coach.
“You need to—”
“Don’t.” I glared at Ozzy. “I’ll fix it.”
“Make sure you do,” Sofia bit out angrily.
If I hadn’t been so busy begging the gods for Harmony’s
forgiveness, I might have smiled at the fact that the beautiful
vixen who’d so effortlessly slid inside my heart had touched
the members of my band family’s as well.
Eating up the distance to the end bunk, my bunk, where
Harmony was sobbing behind the closed curtain, I drew in a
deep breath and yanked the drape open.
She jerked her head up. Her eyes were rimmed red, and
tears were spilling down her cheeks. The pieces of my heart
she hadn’t yet captured fluttered from my chest and floated
into the palm of her hand.
Harmony turned her head as if embarrassed that I had
found her crying.
 Oh, hell no.
Without a word, I lifted her from the cubby, drew her flush
against my body, and claimed her sweet lips with an
impassioned apology. When Harmony tensed, my heart
clutched and my gut seized. Refusing to let her shut me out, I
slid a hand in her silky hair, tipped her head back, and
deepened the kiss.
The whole time I was making love to her mouth and
suffusing her soul with every ounce of passion unfurling inside
me, I was praying I hadn’t fucked things up beyond repair.
Long, agonizing seconds passed before Harmony wrapped her
arms around me, melted against my chest with a soft moan,
and parted her lips inviting me in.
Tears of joy stung my eyes.
Easing from her lips, I peppered tender kisses along her
jaw and down her neck before settling against that sensitive
spot behind her ear.
“I’m sorry, princess. So fucking sorry,” I murmured,
bathing her warm, soft skin with my lips and tongue. “Sorry I
lost my shit and took it out on you.” Melting my mouth over
hers, I pulled away long seconds later to skate my tongue
down her slender throat. “It won’t happen again, I swear.”
“It’s not your fault, Ross. I shouldn’t have—”
“No, it’s Quinn’s. And when I’m done begging your
forgiveness, however long that takes, I’m going to kill the
meddling prick.”
Harmony tossed her head back, granting me more canvas
to paint with kisses, and laughed. It was the single most
captivating symphony I’d ever heard.
“You can’t. He’s…gone.” She sighed dreamily as I sucked
the lobe of her ear between my lips and lashed it with my
tongue. “Flying…home…to Chicago.”
The sound of her choppy, breathless words went straight to
my dick.
 “Good. That gives me all the time in the world to convince
you how sorry I am.”
“No,” she whimpered. “No more apologies. All I need is…
you.”
“I’m all yours, princess.” I promised.
I started to slant my lips over hers when the coach swayed
as it eased from the curb. I wrapped a protective arm around
Harmony’s waist. She issued a little yelp, then pressed her
palm to the bathroom door and giggled.
“I guess we’re moving huh?”
“We are.” I smirked and pressed my lips to hers again.
I was drowning in the honey sweet flavor of her kiss, and
my blood blazed as the coach swayed and the heated V of her
pussy scraped my swollen cock. I cupped her breast and
thumbed her nipple, greedily swallowing down her kitten-soft
moans.
“Stay the night with me,” I growled low in her ear.
“Yes.” Her voice and body quivered in tandem.
The roar of anticipation humming in my head muted the
sound of the accelerating engine. I was lost in the silky depths
of Harmony’s heavenly mouth as images of dragging endless
orgasms from her sexy writhing, whimpering, keening body
flooded my brain.
My heart was tripping, and the heady magnitude of
responsibility pressed in all around me.
In a few short minutes, I would strip the shimmering dress
off this sweet innocent girl and lay her across my bed. Then
with tender, loving care—and the patience of Job—strip the
fragile flesh of her virginity away and welcome her into the
world as a woman.
The realization that I hadn’t packed any condoms was
spinning through my head when Kenny yelled out a curse.
Less than a second later, a thunderous crash exploded all
around me. The coach pitched violently to the left, yanking
Harmony from my lips and the safety of my arms.
Screams, shattering glass, and the screech of twisted metal
filled the air.
In sickening slow motion, a cry of terror launched from
Harmony’s throat, and I helplessly watched her sail down the
aisle, spinning like a rag doll.
“No,” I yelled, lurching forward to catch her and wrap her
safely in my arms.
But the coach continued listing, slamming me hard against
the bathroom door. Bowing beneath my weight, the wood gave
way with a loud crack and splintered all around me. Like a
bullet, I was sailing past the toilet and straight toward the
shower enclosure. Jerking my arms up, I shielded my face as I
crashed through the glass. Blades of fire ripped my flesh. A
scream of pain tore from my throat right before my head
bounced off the tile wall with a sickening thud.
Blinding sparks exploded in my brain. And as I wondered
if this was how I died, the world went black.
The sounds of sirens and men yelling dragged me from the
inky darkness. Forcing my eyelids open, I saw the bathroom
sink…on its side? Confusion raked my brain as a warm, thick
liquid oozed into my eyes and blurred my vision.
“What the fuck is happening?” I moaned, snapping them
shut again.
My mind was as fuzzy as the time I drank a bottle of
tequila in Puerto Vallarta and woke up on the beach, covered
in sand flea bites. Based on the sirens and the scent of diesel
fuel pummeling my senses, I knew I wasn’t on any beach. And
whatever was happening to me was no fucking vacation.
Fragments of memories fluttered through my head.
A crash.
Screams.
Splintered wood and glass.
The bus tipping over.
 Harmony ripped from my arms and sailing through the air.
Panic slammed me, stealing my breath.
Blinking rapidly, I tried to clear the sticky goo from my
eyes and leaned forward. Like a blowtorch, pain seared every
inch of my body. Clenching my jaw, I reached up and gripped
what was left of the shower frame, sending the shards of glass
in my hand sinking deeper. With a hiss, I dragged myself to
my knees. Glass fragments rained off my body as waves of
dizziness crested through me. Fueled by the panic to find
Harmony, I gripped my bloody fingers around the base of the
sink and dragged myself toward the fractured wood of the
portal.
“Harmony,” I bellowed.
“He’s back here,” a man yelled. “I found him.”
Why wasn’t she answering me?
Panic wrapped my heart and squeezed
“Harmony!” I screamed as tears of fear stung my eyes.
“Easy, buddy. Everybody’s out but you. My name’s Nate.
You hang tight. We’re going to get you out of here,” he calmly
assured, wiping something over my eyes and forehead. The
crap blurring my vision was now gone, but the cloth in Nate’s
hand was covered in blood.
“Does my face look like hamburger?”
He shook his head. “No, man. You got some cuts, but
you’ll still turn all the ladies’ heads.” He smiled as he eyed me
critically. “Going through that shower door had to sting.”
“Like a bitch…I think. Everything’s kind of fuzzy right
now.”
I’d barely gotten the words out when two more firefighters
appeared. Together, they lifted me up and started carrying me
down the hall…well, the now sideways hall. It felt like I was
in a carnival fun house, sans the fun.
“What happened?”
“A trash truck blew a red light.”
 “I hope NYPD gave him a ticket.”
“They can’t. The guy didn’t make it.”
Harmony. My heart sputtered and my gut clenched. Please,
God, no. No. Don’t take her, too.
Struggling to tamp down my panic, I stared Nate in the
eye. “What about the others…the ones who were here on the
bus. Is anybody—” I couldn’t push the word off my lips.
“Dead? No.”
Thank you, God… Thank you.
“Then get your ass on that bus and find him.” Quinn’s
voice floated over me and a low chuckle rumbled from my
throat.
Guess he missed his flight. Good, I wanted five minutes
alone with the son of a bitch. Okay, well, not right now. I
couldn’t even kick my own ass if I had to, but I’d deal with the
prick soon.
“We got him,” the guy supporting my left leg yelled,
making my brain slam against my skull.
A second later, strobes of blue and red assaulted my eyes. I
slid my lids shut as the darkness called to me again, but I
fought against it.
I knew the minute I was out of the bus. Instead of diesel
fuel, the familiar, unique scent of New York filled my senses.
“Oh, Jesus.” I heard Quinn whisper woefully as the
firemen eased me onto a gurney.
Squinting against the colorful strobes, I turned toward the
sound of his voice. Quinn’s face was ghostly white and etched
with worry.
“Where’s Harmony? I need to see her.”
“They transported her to Presbyterian a few minutes ago.”
“Is she all right?” Unable to harness the panic exploding
inside me, I sat up and sent him a pleading stare.
 “I-I don’t know. They took everybody there. I stayed
behind. I wasn’t leaving until they found you and brought you
out.”
“Take me there,” I barked, grabbing the arm of the EMT
beside me. “Now.”
“Easy, Mr. Walker,” the man replied. “We need to check
you out and remove some of the glass embedded in your skin
before transporting you.”
Glass? I looked down and saw dozens of shards sticking
out of my arms. Blood was oozing everywhere.
“Then do it,” I barked. “I have to see her.”
Long, interminable minutes later, I arrived at the ER. But
the doctors and nurses refused to tell me anything about
Harmony’s condition or how the others were doing. As they
painstakingly pulled glass from my arms, neck, and face, I was
ready to commit murder.
Quinn hurried into the room, flashing his phone in the
doctor’s face…showing him the medical release form that
Harmony had signed when she’d accepted his job. Ava had
emailed it to him after contacting Bodhi and booking him a
flight to New York.
“Tell him what he wants to know,” Quinn barked.
The doctor scowled at my agent’s demand and started
typing on his tablet. “She suffered a dislocated knee, a few
broken ribs.”
“How many ribs?”
“The X-ray showed two…possibly three. They’re prepping
her now for surgery.”
“For what? What other injuries does she have?” I
demanded.
“She has a compound fracture of the ulna. The orthopedic
surgeon Mr. MacKinnon requested will probably use some
plates and screws to reattach her bones, but she’ll be just fine.”
 Plates and screws? Christ, they were going to cut her open
and shove an erector set inside her.
“Let me out of here. I need to see her, now,” I barked.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Walker, I’m sure she’s already in surgery.”
“Quinn,” I implored.
“I’ll go find out.” He nodded grimly and hurried out the
door.
It seemed an eternity before he returned and confirmed the
doctor’s words, but Quinn assured me that Sofia—who was
with the others in the OR waiting room—would text him with
any updates.
The nurses finally plucked out all the glass and started
stitching me up, while the doctor concluded that I had a mild
concussion. Declining pain meds, for obvious reasons, I
swallowed down some aspirin before they bandaged me up
like a mummy. I was climbing the fucking walls before they
handed me a stack of discharge papers and let me leave the
medical prison cell.
When Quinn was finally able to lead me to the surgical
waiting room, I got my first look at my battered, bruised, and
bandaged family.
Burk was sporting a funky buzz cut and twelve stitches on
the side of his head. A Velcro boot was wrapped around his
right foot to support the strained ligaments in his ankle.
Sofia’s right arm was in a sling, tucked against her chest,
and she had a nasty scrape on her shoulder.
Ozzy had a black eye, split lip, and six stitches on his
cheek.
An ice pack was strapped to Mia’s knee. She had a split
lip, as well, and a nasty bruise on her chin.
The gash in Syd’s left hand was wrapped in a thick white
bandage.
A white mesh cast adorned Darren’s right arm. Thankfully,
his was a clean break.
 Mick’s left foot was covered with the same material, only
in black, and a pair of crutches were resting across his lap.
Duke’s entire right arm was wrapped in bandages, and he
had several stitches along the edge of his jaw.
We all looked like we’d been in a fucking war. Well,
everyone but Kenny. The lucky prick, who’d been buckled in
his seat, didn’t have a scratch on him. But I could see in his
eyes that he was in as much pain—probably more—than the
rest of us…the pain of guilt.
Clearly, Harmony had taken the brunt of the injuries, and I
was out of my mind with worry and fear.
“You picked one hell of a time to take a shower, bro.” Syd
smiled sadly.
“Oh, Ross. Jesus…look at you.” Sofia cringed.
“It’s just a flesh wound,” I quipped and immediately
sobered. “Any word on Harmony?”
“None yet. We’re still waiting,” Burk said grimly.
“Did any of you see her or talk to her before they took her
in for surgery?”
“We all did, brother,” Darren assured.
“And?”
“She was out of her mind worried about you. Kept begging
us to wheel her bed up to the ER so she could see you.”
“I tried everything in my power to get down here to her…”
My voice cracked and tears stung my eyes. I whirled around
so they couldn’t see me struggling to find control.
Sofia quietly eased up beside me and gently placed her
hand on my arm. “She’s going to be okay. Try to stay strong
for her. And if you can’t, then just lean on us.”
“Aw, sweet cheeks,” I croaked as the dam burst and tears
slid down my cheeks.
Sofia silently wrapped her uninjured arm around me and
stroked my back as my fear of losing Harmony ripped me to
shreds. My band brothers instantly surrounded me and held me
up as I crumbled.
“She’s not Lily,” Burk whispered softly against my ear so
that only I could hear him. “Harmony is alive. She’s not
leaving you or this world, brother. You’re not to blame for the
wreck. And though you’ve beaten yourself up all these years,
you weren’t ever to blame for the other. Let her go, man. It’s
time you let her go.”
It was, but could I survive the aftermath?
A howl of anguish ripped from my chest.
 CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Ross

F eeling drained and hollow, I wiped my eyes and slowly

pulled myself together.
“Sorry,” I murmured. “I didn’t mean to… Maybe the shock
of the wreck and being in the hospital again—”
“We don’t care about the why. It doesn’t matter because
we love you, man. Love the good, bad, and all the pain you
still carry inside you.” Deep understanding stamped Syd’s
somber face.
I’d never seen such a profound level of seriousness in him
before. Suddenly I realized I was staring into the eyes of a
kindred spirit. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that hiding
beneath every joke, one-liner, and smart-assed quip was a
mountain of pain, guilt, and regret.
I wrapped a bandaged hand around his neck and gingerly
leaned my bandaged, stitched-up forehead to his. “And I’m a
lucky, grateful son of a bitch for it, my brother.”
Tears glistened in Syd’s eyes as a crooked smile tugged a
corner of his mouth. “Can Daddy kiss you now?”
“Only if Daddy wants to have his balls kicked to the back
of his throat.”
“Daddy’s gonna pass on that,” he said with a laugh and
clapped me on the back.
 “Sharp family?” a woman called.
Heart in my throat, I whipped around and marched straight
toward the fifty-something nurse.
“Yes.” The word rolled off my tongue without an ounce of
hesitation.
“Are you her…husband?”
“No, I’m…” My mind went completely blank. Friend?
No, too casual. Boyfriend? Too clinical. Lover? If it hadn’t
been for that fucking trash truck, I would be by now.
“She’s freelancing for me…for us…I mean, for the band,”
Quinn interjected, stepping in beside me as he whipped out his
cell phone and handed it to the nurse. “Her father is on a plane
from Kentucky as we speak, but I have this.”
I held my breath as the nurse read the document on
Quinn’s phone. With a subtle nod she handed the device back
to him. “If you’ll come with me, Mr. MacKinnon, I’ll be
happy to fill you in on Miss Sharp’s condition.”
“No,” I barked. “Tell us here…now.”
The nurse arched her brows as a look of confrontation
stormed across her face.
“She can’t,” Quinn replied. “Breathe, man. I’ll get the
info.”
Biting back a snarl, I clenched my teeth, ignoring the pain
throbbing in my brain.
“Sorry, Miss.” Quinn smiled weakly, as he led her a couple
feet away. Thankfully, I was still able to hear their
conversation. “Miss Sharp hasn’t been with us long, but she’s
earned a place in the hearts of our little family.”
“Very well,” the nurse replied. “Miss Sharp is out of
surgery and in recovery. The doctor was able to repair her arm.
Her knee has been reset and fitted with a brace to keep it
immobilized. There’s nothing we can do for her fractured ribs,
but rest and limited movement will help them heal. Once she’s
released, she’ll need to follow up with her primary care
physician, who’ll need to set her up with a physical therapist.”
 “When will she be released?” Quinn asked.
“Definitely not tonight. Maybe tomorrow or Sunday.
Depending on how the doctor on duty thinks she’s doing.”
Crawling out of my skin, I ate up the distance between
Quinn and the nurse “Can I see her now?”
“We’d rather her not have any visitors until she’s taken up
to a room—”
“Let me rephrase that. I have to see her now,” I ground out,
squaring my shoulders and narrowing my eyes. “Or do I need
to speak directly to her surgeon?”
“She’s still sedated. Miss Sharp won’t even know you’re
—”
“Find her surgeon. Bring him to me,” I said in a low,
impatient growl.
“Let him go back, ma’am,” Sofia pleaded. “We’ve been
through quite an ordeal tonight. Ross didn’t get to see his girl
before she went into surgery. They’ve been together for a very
long time.”
When I’d first met the copper-haired drill sergeant, I’d
prayed we guys in the band would find a way to make her quit.
But she and Burk had captured one another’s hearts, and right
now, she’d captured mine. I wanted to lift her up in my arms,
hug her tight, and kiss her lying lips.
The nurse turned to me. “I’m sorry, I-I didn’t realize you
two were…”
“A couple? Yes. Yes, we are,” I lied, achingly aware that I
wished it were the truth.
“If you’ll follow me.”
Mouthing a thank you to Sofia—who flashed me a wide
grin and a wink—I followed the nurse to the recovery room.
When I noticed several nurses scurrying around and only two
bays where the curtains weren’t drawn, I understood why it
had taken so long for us to get word about Harmony. Yet I
wondered why we’d been the only ones in the waiting room.
They’d no doubt put us in a separate area to keep from being
recognized and hounded. When the nurse paused and pulled
back one of the curtains, I held my breath and stepped around
her. The sight of tubes and wires attached to Harmony’s pale,
fragile body, now broken and bruised, made me want to howl.
Still, she was the most beautiful woman on the planet.
“Oh, princess,” I moaned, moving in close alongside the
bed.
Heart in my throat, I bent and pressed a soft kiss to her
forehead. As the curtain behind me closed, a tear slid down my
cheek. I stroked her soft hair and brushed a feather-soft kiss
across her lips, savoring the breath spilling from her nose and
warming my mouth.
Though my brain knew she was alive, seeing and feeling
the life inside her sent a tsunami of relief through my system.
“I was so scared…so fucking terrified that I was going to
lose you, too.”
“Ross.” She breathed my name as if making a wish.
“I’m here, princess. I’m right here. Open your eyes. Come
on, Harmony, open those pretty blue eyes and look at me.”
“Ross,” she whispered again, brows softly furrowing.
Suddenly, the curtain whipped open. I spun, ready to rail
that I hadn’t even been with Harmony for two minutes, as a
pretty young blonde entered the cubicle. I wiped my eyes and
scowled when the woman pressed a hand to her heart and
grinned.
“I thought they were messing with me.”
“Excuse me?”
“Sorry. I’m Courtney Joel. I’m the orthopedic surgeon who
patched Harmony back up.”
“You’re the doctor who performed the surgery?”
“Yeah. I’m older and smarter than I look,” she teased.
“I didn’t mean… I wasn’t implying you weren’t smart.”
 “Oh, my gosh. I-I’m making a fool of myself. I’m sorry,
it’s just… I can’t believe I’m standing here talking to Ross
Walker. I’ve been a huge fan of Licks since I was in college.
I’m fangirling like crazy inside right now.”
“Don’t please. I’m just a…person.”
“You don’t understand.” Courtney smirked. “I’m an animal
freak. I will rescue any critter that needs a home. My husband
thinks I’m crazy, but he still loves me, thank god. Anyway, I
have a husky named Burk because she loves to sing…okay,
she howls, but I call it singing. Ozzy is my Persian cat who
loves playing the piano app on my tablet. Then I have a
parakeet I named Darren because he loves to pluck at his cage
with his beak. I also have a spazzy leopard gecko named Syd,
who loves to run around in his cage like Syd does on stage.
And a fluffy Angora bunny named…Ross.”
“I’m a fluffy bunny?” I asked, totally insulted.
“Yes. The rabbit is huge. He weighs six and a half pounds,
and when he stomps his foot, he reminds me of you banging
your bass. But based on the bandages you’re wearing, I don’t
think you’re going to be playing the drums for a while.”
Courtney cringed. “Did you get tossed into the blender or
something?”
“Felt like it. After splintering the bathroom door to
toothpicks, I went through the glass shower enclosure.”
“Oh, ouch.”
“Yeah. If I have the choice, I’d rather not do that again.” I
stared down at Harmony as visions of her flying through the
air spooled through my brain like a nightmare. Guilt sliced
through me. “I should have held on to her tighter.”
“Why? So, she could go through both doors with you?” the
doctor challenged.
My stomach twisted. I hadn’t thought of that.
“Broken arm, ribs, and a sore knee is plenty for her. But
Harmony is going to be fine. In fact, I’m here to check her out
one more time before we move her to the Orthopedic floor.
They have a room ready for her now.”
 “I can go with her when they move her, right?”
“Sure, but it’ll cost you an autograph.” She handed me a
pen and held out an arm of her lab coat.
“When you’re done checking on Harmony, go out to the
waiting room and tell the others I said to sign your coat.”
“I will do that.” She grinned excitedly. Then as if flipping
some internal switch, the doctor went from happy and carefree
to serious and professional.
I stepped back to give her room to check Harmony over. I
wasn’t ready to see the injuries to her body yet. Didn’t want to
fall apart again in case Harmony might be able to hear me in
her drug-induced sleep. I wanted to be strong for her. Strong
enough to help heal her bones the way she’d begun healing my
heart.
It was nearly three thirty in the morning as I sat in a chair
beside Harmony’s bed in her private room. The others who’d
held vigil in the waiting room had come and offered words of
support, encouragement, and love, but Harmony slept right
through them.
Burk tried to convince me to return to the hotel, but I
refused. I wasn’t leaving Harmony’s side until she opened her
eyes and looked at me again…said my name in that sweet
southern drawl. A strange longing to see her mountain crept
through my brain. I knew what the big cities of Kentucky
looked like. I’d seen the mountains from the highways, but I’d
never trekked up to the top of any to see the world from
Harmony’s eyes.
I wanted her to wake up, was desperate for the drugs to
bleed from her system.
Maybe it was lack of sleep, my endless worry about
Harmony, or the residual trauma of the accident, but a crazy
idea flashed in my head. Lifting my cell phone from my back
pocket—that had miraculously survived my double-door
demolition ordeal still intact—I pulled up the old Elvis song
she’d been singing on her terrace, just last night.
 Keeping the volume down on both my phone and my
voice, I started singing to her, hoping to draw her mind from
the sweet oblivion, and back to the real world.
Sang to her about reaching out one night to find her gone.
About wanting to bring her home.
Home. No, not to her mountain in Kentucky but to the
home in my heart.
“Kentucky rain keeps pouring down,” I crooned, willing
her to open her eyes and let me sing the rest of the lyrics to
her. But she didn’t, so I kept right on singing about the cold
Kentucky rain.
Still nothing.
“Finally got a ride from a preacher man who asked—”
“Where you bound on such a cold dark afternoon?” A man
with salt-and-pepper hair, wearing faded blue jeans and a dark
button-down shirt, finished singing the verse for me as he
stepped into the room.
I stopped the song and rose to my feet, eyeing him
suspiciously.
“That’s my little girl’s favorite song,” the man announced.
Bodhi. “I know from the photos that Harmony showed me on
her computer, you’re Ross Walker.”
“Yes, sir. I am. And I’m pretty sure you’re her dad,
Bodhi.” I smiled, extending a bandaged hand.
Instead of shying away from the unknown injuries beneath
the gauze, he gave me a firm shake. When I didn’t cringe or
flinch, or try to pull away, a flicker of acceptance, as if I’d
passed some kind of test, skimmed over his dark eyes. Clearly,
Harmony’s unique blue eyes had to have come from her
mother.
Then without a word, Bodhi strode to the side of
Harmony’s bed and stared down at his daughter. A look of
sheer pain creased his sun-kissed face as he shook his head
and sucked in a ragged breath.
 “I was trying to get her to wake up by singing—”
“Her favorite song.” Bodhi arched a brow. “It appears you
two have learned a lot about each other in a very short time.”
“A bit. There’s still a lot we haven’t learned yet,” I replied,
dragging the bulky recliner from the corner over to him.
Bodhi glanced at the chair and nodded his thanks, then
pinned me with a probing stare.
I knew what he was thinking.
It was written all over his face.
And like all male animals, asserting their dominance to
capture prime pieces of hunting ground or something even
more coveted, a mate, I wasn’t about to roll over and give up
any information. Bodhi was going to have to assert his
dominance as a protective father and fucking ask.
Acknowledging my challenge, his lips twitched.
“Is my daughter still a little girl or have you made her a
woman?”
“She’s still your little girl, sir.”
But if we hadn’t been in that wreck, I’d still be making her
a woman right now.
“I highly doubt she’ll be one much longer.”
“I’m not pursuing Harmony’s virginity like it’s some kind
of trophy.”
Could this conversation get anymore awkward? Probably.
“No. You’re not. I could tell by the look in your eyes and
the tone of your voice when I walked in and found you singing
to her. She means something to you.”
“The world.”
“Does she feel the same toward you?”
“I’m not sure. Like you said, we’ve only been together a
short time. But I hope she’s beginning to have the same
feelings for me that I have for her.”
 “And what happens when her six-month contract is
through? Are you going to keep her traveling the country in a
bus, that clearly isn’t safe, in order to be with you?”
“I don’t know, sir. Six months is a long way off.”
“Only when you’re waiting for springtime to come so you
can plant your seeds.”
“I’m a very patient man.”
“I’m damn glad to hear that. Not because I expect her to
stay my little girl forever; I just don’t want her to ever regret
who she gives her innocence to.” Bodhi gently stroked
Harmony’s hair. “She looks so…small. I’m not used to seeing
her like this. She’s always so strong and vibrant.”
“She still is. Once she wakes up, you’ll see. She hasn’t
changed.” Remembering how she stood up to Sylvia and
wouldn’t let the pretentious snatch make her feel inferior filled
me with pride.
“I know she’s here to prove herself. I just wish she’d
decided to come help you out of the goodness of her heart.”
Wait. What?
“Why did she decide to accept Quinn’s offer?”
“She’s trying to atone for her mother’s sins.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t—”
“She didn’t tell you about her mother, did she?”
“Only that she left…that the wind took her away.” A
horrible thought made me blanch. “Please don’t tell me that’s
some kind of metaphor and that her mom has died.”
“No. Astrid is very much alive. But I’m not surprised
Harmony didn’t tell you that. My little girl has a lot of pride.
Too much sometimes. It’s hard for her to ask for help.”
I chuckled. “Me, too.”
“Birds of a feather. Just like Astrid and I were…once.”
Bodhi frowned. “I know that Astrid is still alive because her
actions are sending repercussions rippling through the
collective consciousness. Clearly, Harmony has paid for
Astrid’s sins. Fate, Karma, and Free Will have now collected
their pound of flesh, through my daughter. Whatever crimes
Astrid commits from here on out will be paid by her own
soul.” He clenched his jaw and stroked the tip of his finger
down Harmony’s cheek.
“Not that I’m proud of it, but I’m personal friends with
Karma and Fate. I don’t know anything about collective
consciousness. We haven’t gotten that far, but Harmony has
been teaching me about crystals.” Reaching into my pocket, I
pulled out the moonstone. “She gave me this.”
Bodhi’s brows arched. A tiny smile tugged his lips as he
darted a glance at Harmony, then nodded at me. “Did she
explain the stone’s power?”
“She told me it was for new beginnings. But I can tell by
the look on your face it does a whole lot more.”
“Indeed, it does. It helps reduce stress and anger. Promotes
intuition, inspiration, fortune, and safe travel,” he scoffed.
“For women, it helps balance hormones and monthly cycles,
keeps their skin and hair soft, their eyes bright and shining.”
“Does it do anything for men?”
“Oh, yes. It helps open us up. To recognize and get in
touch with our true emotions.”
The stone suddenly felt like a hot ember, searing through
my bandages and scalding my palm.
“She really did come here to try and save me,” I
murmured. “In ways I didn’t even understand.”
“And I can tell by the look on your face that she’s
succeeding.”
“Yes,” I choked past the emotion clogging my throat and
stinging my eyes as I gazed at my priceless little miracle
worker soundly sleeping. “But I still don’t know why…why
me?”
“Because she knew. She knew and didn’t even tell me.
Damn.” Bodhi shook his head and smiled at Harmony. “I tried
to talk her out of coming here. Told her she had no business
accepting Quinn’s offer if her heart wasn’t pure. I thought she
was doing this wholly for the money, but…” He paused and
smiled up at me. “She knew you needed her.”
“I-I don’t understand.”
The sun was just beginning to break over the horizon when
our tongues were finally tired. We’d spent the whole night
talking.
Bodhi told me about Astrid taking off with the money the
community had saved to pay the taxes. I made a mental note to
call my broker later in the day to cover the cost. He explained
Harmony’s special empathic abilities—which I found
completely fascinating—before skipping down memory lane
and telling me heartwarming stories about her childhood on
the mountain.
I realized the reason she glowed so brightly and had
touched me so deeply. Harmony had been loved,
unconditionally loved her whole life. I was so fucking grateful
to Bodhi for giving her that wonderful gift.
Like his daughter, Bodhi was so warm and accepting it felt
totally natural when I started sharing stories of my
dysfunctional childhood.
I told him how Harmony had accompanied me to Sylvia’s
and the shit show that ensued. I explained how the band
started…about our early days, living in a beat-up panel van,
living off fast food as we traveled from coast to coast and back
again. I even told him about my addiction—not the reason
why I was searching for an escape but about the guys and
Quinn’s intervention, my time in rehab, and how I continued
to maintain my sobriety.
Stroking my knuckle down Harmony’s cheek, I leaned in
close to her ear. “Wake up, princess. Please, wake up.”
Bodhi smiled and pulled a harmonica from his pocket.
“You know the lyrics to the song and how to perform. I know
how to play. What do you say we sing our girl awake with her
favorite song?”
Our girl. Yeah, I liked the sound of that.
 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Harmony

N estled in the lush grass of my mountain home, I leaned

against my favorite rock, listening to the stream gurgle
as I gazed up at the stars. I was cradling my arm that was
throbbing like mad. I’d hurt it somehow. Maybe chopping
wood? I couldn’t remember. And though it was painfully sore,
for some strange reason I didn’t care. The stars were too
enthralling, the air crisp and soothing.
Though there wasn’t a cloud in the night sky, raindrops
started falling all around me as the sound of my favorite song
filled the air. I smiled as the Kentucky rain spilled over my
face. Then I realized Jeb wasn’t singing the song like he
always did for me, and it wasn’t his banjo playing the notes.
The music was coming from Daddy’s harmonica, and the
lyrics were being sung by…Ross.
He’d found me!
My heartrate tripled, and I jumped to my feet. I whirled
around and expected to see him standing there with his wide
shoulders, bulging arms, and sinful blue eyes locked on
mine…but there was nothing but darkness.
Blindly racing toward the sound of his voice, I tried to
push the inky veil aside, but only one arm would work. Still, I
wasn’t giving up. The urgency to see him again, to touch, kiss,
and hold him, was a living breathing, aching entity inside me.
Ross’s deep alluring voice grew louder. The sweet sounds of
Daddy’s harmonica grew stronger. Batting at the black curtain
keeping me from the two most important men in my life, I
finally saw a sliver of light ahead. Sprinting toward the barely
there glow, I finally punched through the crevice and my eyes
fluttered open.
“Searching for—” Ross froze mid-lyric.
Or at least I thought it was Ross. He was covered in
bandages and sort of looked like a mummy. Was it already
Halloween? I was about to ask, but when I saw tears filling his
eyes as he sent me a watery smile, I couldn’t remember my
question.
“Hi, princess. How was your nap?” His voice was thick
with emotion.
“Bad. I couldn’t find you. My arm hurts.” My voice was
dry and raspy, and my throat felt like a desert.
“I’m here, sweetheart. I’ve been right here waiting for you
to come back to me all night.”
Why was he waiting for me? Where did I go?
“Water.”
“Here, baby girl.” I turned to the sound of Bodhi’s voice.
As I watched him lift a Styrofoam cup off a tray, bend a straw,
and settle it to my lips, I thought I was still dreaming.
“Daddy?”
“I’ve been waiting for you to come back all night, too, my
love.”
Something was wrong…horribly wrong. What was Ross
doing at Gaia Garden? What room was I in and where was that
pungent scent of alcohol and cleaning products coming from?
As I sucked the cold liquid from the straw and let it trickle
down my parched throat, I darted a gaze around the room. This
wasn’t home.
I was in a…hospital.
 I pushed the straw off my lips with my tongue, then
dropped my head and peered down at my body. My pretty
sequined dress was gone, replaced with an ugly green gown
that had wires sticking out from under it. A tube was
embedded into my arm that was attached to a plastic bag,
suspended on a pole beside my bed. Next to the bag was a
machine with numbers and lights and a jumping line that
scrolled across a grid.
The other arm, the one throbbing and hurting so badly, was
hidden beneath a sheet and blanket. I was scared to pull the
covers away…scared of not being able to remember a damn
thing.
“W-where am I?”
“You’re still in New York…in a hospital,” Ross calmly
explained.
“Why am I here?”
“They didn’t say anything about a head injury.” Fear laced
my dad’s voice.
“She didn’t. It’s the drugs. It takes a little time to flush
them from her system.” Ross aimed the straw in the cup Bodhi
was still holding to my lips. “Drink up, princess. We’ll explain
everything.”
“What happened to you? Why are you all bandaged up?”
“Drink. I’ll explain,” Ross repeated with a tender but
sincere look of warning.
Deciding it was better to comply, since my throat was still
dry as a bone, I took another sip of water.
“We were in the bus on our way back to the hotel after the
concert. Do you remember the concert?”
A rush of memories flashed through my brain like bolts of
lightning.
“Yes. But I especially remember what happened before the
concert,” I blurted, totally forgetting that my dad was right
beside me.
 Ross smirked and quickly covered for me. “The sight of
the crowd was quite thrilling for you, wasn’t it?”
“Unbelievable.” I swallowed tightly.
“Do you remember the wreck? Remember the trash truck
T-boning the bus?”
I gripped the sheet as the sensation of tumbling through the
air crashed through me.
“My arm.” Dread climbed through me as I peered down at
my hidden limb. “Is…is it still there?”
“Yes. It’s in a cast and a splint,” Dad assured. “I saw it
when they came in and checked on you throughout the night.
Your arm is there, baby girl. It just needs to heal.”
“Is everyone else…”
“They’re fine. They’re at the hotel sleeping,” Ross assured.
“They’re various degrees of broken, battered, bruised, and
sporting a shit-ton of stitches, but none of us suffered what
you’ve been through. I’m so sorry this happened to you,
princess.”
His voice cracked as he bent and brushed a feather-soft
kiss to my lips. I raised my left arm, heavy with tubes and
wires, and cupped his nape as I lifted my head from the pillow
and kissed him harder.
“Dammit, man. Get off her. She’s been through enough,”
Burk scolded.
As Ross reared back, I watched Burk, with a possessive
arm around Sofia’s waist, hobble into the room. He was
wearing a thick brace on his foot that came all the way up to
his knee. Sofia was cradling her arm in a sling, close to her
chest. They both looked like hell, but I was beyond happy to
see them.
“Bite me,” Ross replied with a grin. “She finally woke up.
I was simply telling her good morning.”
He then introduced my dad to the couple, and I couldn’t
help but grin when Burk’s eyes grew wide.
 “So, you’re the legendary Bodhi. It’s an honor to meet you,
sir.” Burk stuck out his hand and the two men shook.
“Harmony’s told us about Gaia Garden. We’re all dying to
come visit one day,” Sofia gushed as she gave Dad a careful
hug before she pressed a soft kiss to my cheek and whispered,
“I’m glad you’re awake. You had us all worried. Especially the
big guy. He totally lost his shit last night. Damn near broke my
heart watching him break down, but you didn’t hear that from
me.”
My own heart squeezed, and tears stung my eyes
imagining Ross—so big, strong, brave, and protective—falling
apart because of me.
“What are you two doing here so early?” he asked the
couple.
“I couldn’t sleep. I was too worried about you guys,” Sofia
explained as she eased into Burk’s loving arms. “So, we
grabbed a quick breakfast and snagged a cab and… Oh, I
almost forgot.”
She reached into the back pocket of her jeans, pulled out
an envelope, and handed it to Bodhi. “Quinn booked you a
suite at the hotel. The address is there on the front. Whenever
you’re ready to go grab a shower or take a nap, Ross or one of
us will call you a cab.”
“Thank you. That’s very kind of him…of all of you.” A
sheepish expression lined his face. “I had plenty of worries
when Harmony left the mountain, but after meeting all of you,
I now know they were totally unfounded. Thank you for taking
such good care of my little girl.”
“The pleasure is all ours,” Ross assured.
“Ah, I’m sure it goes without saying, but Ava issued a
press release about an hour ago. Our tour’s been put on
indefinite hold so we have time to heal,” Burk announced.
“Looks like we’ll all be heading home soon.”
Sadness gripped me so hard my heart nearly stopped.
While the others continued discussing new busses and
private jets, I was swallowed up with grief.
 There was zero guarantee that Ross would still be under
attack by the press or that he still needed me to bring him to
life once their tour resumed. Yes, I’d made great strides with
the man in a short amount of time. Ross was now smiling and
even laughing, but my task was far from finished.
I wasn’t able to thoroughly read him yet. That alone told
me he was still hiding something behind his impenetrable
walls. And until I found a way to pick the lock and sneak
inside, I’d struggle with regret for failing him. Just like I had
probably failed my family back home. I wasn’t naïve enough
to think Quinn would write me a check when I’d only
technically been on the job for mere days.
Like a giant grizzly, uncertainty roared to life inside me.
“Are you tired?” Concern lined my dad’s face.
“No. But I am hungry.”
Ross whipped out his cell phone and arched a brow. “What
do you want, princess? I’ll get you anything and have it
delivered here to your room. Do you want bacon? Or how
about some bacon-wrapped scallops?”
“They do that…wrap bacon around scallops?”
“Yeah.” He grinned. “Both your favorite foods in one
bite.”
“Whoa, I have to try that, but not for breakfast.”
“Definitely not for breakfast and not while you’ve got so
many drugs in your system. They’re really rich. But if you’re
feeling up to it, I can have some brought in for dinner tonight.”
“You’re spoiling me.” I grinned.
“Oh, princess. I haven’t even started spoiling you yet. You
just wait.” Warmth, like a blanket of sunshine, spread through
me. “But for now, what sounds good…something light that
won’t upset your stomach?”
“Oatmeal with brown sugar and buttered toast.”
“I know just the place to get that for you.”
 While Ross phoned in my order, Dad flashed me a smile
and a wink of approval.
I had no clue if I’d ever see Ross again after I was released
from the hospital. Didn’t know if there was a future for us
written in the stars. I only knew I wasn’t wasting a single
precious second I’d been blessed to spend with him, here and
now.
When my oatmeal arrived, Burk and Sofia announced that
they were going back to the hotel. When they offered to take
Dad with them so he could get some rest, he smiled at me.
“I think I’ll take you up on that,” he said to Burk, “now
that I know my baby girl is in such good hands. Thank you,
Ross. You’re a fine young man.”
When my dad extended his hand, Ross clasped it then
pulled him in for a manly hug and clapped him on the back.
Clearly the two had bonded while I’d been dreaming about my
mountain home, about stars, and wildly trying to find Ross.
And seeing the two share such a special moment made me
want to break down and sob like a baby.
“I’ll be back after I get a nap,” Dad promised as he bent
and kissed my forehead. “You get some rest, too.”
“I’ll make sure she does,” Ross assured as the trio strolled
out the door. Sitting down in the chair beside me, he placed his
wide palm on my thigh. Even being wired up to machines and
tubes and my arm throbbing painfully didn’t keep sparks of
delight from sputtering through me. “Can I get you anything
else? Some more water…a soda…carrot cake? I still owe you
one.”
“I don’t need the cake. I have everything I need right
here.” I just didn’t know for how much longer. I’d never been
the kind of girl who could ignore an elephant in the room.
Especially one this big and important. “Do you have any idea
when you’ll be going home?”
The light in Ross’s eyes suddenly dimmed. A great wave
of sadness spilled off him and rolled over me, making my soul
weep.
 “I haven’t even thought about it yet. I’m not in any hurry.
I’ll probably hang out here in New York, see if Bernie needs
help packing up his things.” Ross paused and held my gaze.
“I’m not leaving until you and Bodhi are back on the mountain
safe and sound.”
“You could always come to Kentucky with us,” I
whispered, trying to tamp down the tendrils of hope sprouting
within. “The mountain has powerful healing magic.”
The sad smile tugging his lips made me want to howl.
“Don’t tempt me, princess.”
“Why not?”
I honestly wasn’t trying to stab myself in the heart, but
since Ross now owned every inch of mine, I had to know if I
possessed a tiny sliver of his. But when he stood, raked a hand
over his head with a heavy sigh, and strode toward the
window, every whisper of hope inside me sailed away.
“There’s still a whole lot you don’t know about me.”
“Then tell me,” I demanded.
“And a whole lot I still don’t know about you.”
“Then ask.”
I hated the tone of desperation in my voice.
But I wasn’t going to let stubborn pride rule me this time.
If there was a chance of keeping Ross in my life longer than a
few short days, I wasn’t going to let him slip through my
fingers.
All I wanted to do was run to him, wrap my arms around
his wide chest, and beg him to come back to Kentucky with
me. Instead, I waited for his reply, silently cursing the wires
and tubes holding me prisoner to the bed.
Long seconds passed and Ross still hadn’t uttered a word. I
tried mentally reaching out to him but was met, once again,
with his unyielding and maddening wall. Frustration and anger
began bubbling low in my belly.
 “If you’re thinking of ways to try and convince me that
you’re a bad person, stop. It’s not going to work. I know who
you are, Ross. I know what’s inside your—”
“You don’t,” he barked, spinning around to face me. “You
don’t know shit. You have no idea the things I’ve done. If you
did, you’d call security and toss me out of this room.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Believe it, princess. I’m beyond redemption. The sooner
you get that through your pretty little head, the better off
you’ll be.” Nostrils flaring, eyes wild, Ross stormed back to
the side of the bed. “Do us both a favor. Go back to your
mountain and forget you ever met me.”
As he turned and headed toward the door, I swallowed the
lump of pain, regret, and hopelessness clogging my throat.
“I can’t,” I cried. “You’re so deep inside me you’ll always
be with me.”
Ross didn’t turn around, didn’t even glance back over his
shoulder. He simply lowered his head and exhaled a heavy
sigh. “I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you. You deserve better
than me.”
He yanked the door open, and then he was gone.
“Ross,” I screamed as tears slid down my cheeks. “Please.
Oh, please…come back.”
But he didn’t.
He was gone. He’d left me with nothing but a hole in my
heart. A hole that was eating its way to my soul.
When the door flew open again, hope damn near leapt
through my chest, but when a nurse hurried in with a syringe
in her hand, I simply turned my head and bit back a sob.
“You need to push the button and ask for pain meds before
it gets this bad, honey,” she explained holding up a control and
showing me how to call the nurses’ station. Then she patted
my shoulder and smiled. “That will take all the pain away in a
few minutes.”
 When she left the room, I shook my head. “No, it won’t.
It’s not going to touch the agony inside.”
Burying half my face in the pillow, I cried myself to sleep.
Hours later, I woke when they brought me a tray of food.
I didn’t bother lifting the brown plastic lid. I didn’t care
what was inside. I wasn’t even hungry. I was nothing but
numb. Empty. And as I stared out the window across the room,
I realized I’d never been so completely broken and alone in
my entire life.
The sun was low in the sky when Bodhi returned. He took
one look at me and clenched his jaw. I told him about my
conversation with Ross and that he wasn’t coming back.
Without a word, Dad eased to the side of my bed, gently
wrapped me in his arms, and held me until I ran out of tears.
“I want to go home,” I whispered. “I need to be on our
mountain…need something to take this pain away.”
“I’ll see if I can make that happen, sweetheart.” Bodhi
kissed my forehead and sent me a sad smile, then hurried out
the door.
Twenty minutes later, Dad returned with a pretty blonde
woman wearing a white lab coat and a bright smile. For the
last time, I slid on my actress mask and sent her a convincing
but inwardly hollow smile.
“I hear you’re ready to leave us.”
“Yes. I’d like to go home.”
“Normally, we’d keep you for twenty-four hours, but your
vitals are strong and no hint of fever.”
As she talked to Bodhi about physical therapy,
overexertion, fever, and swelling, I slipped inside my head and
savored the memories of Ross I’d stored away. They were all I
had left now.
It seemed to take forever before a nurse returned with my
discharge papers, bottles of pain pills, antibiotics, and some
plastic contraption I was supposed to wrap around my arm
before taking a shower.
 When she handed Dad a bag with my belongings, I
realized it was pointless to try and wear my destroyed cocktail
dress or heels. Instead, I left the hospital wearing the ugly
green gown, a pair of non-skid socks, and a blanket draped
around my shoulders—to keep from flashing a full moon to
the whole city.
When the taxi pulled to a stop in front of the hotel, Dad
helped me out and into the lobby. Since I had no idea what had
happened to my purse, crystals, or room key, I gave the clerk
my name, Quinn’s name, and my suite number. With a
sympathetic smile, she handed me another keycard, and I
shuffled to the elevator. I was already wiped out before we
entered my suite, so I sat down on the sectional in hopes of
regaining some stamina.
“You’re already spent, baby girl. Let’s stay the night and
catch a flight home early tomorrow morning.”
I opened my mouth to argue but couldn’t find the energy.
He was right. If we could even get a flight tonight, we
wouldn’t be back on the mountain until the wee hours of the
morning. I wasn’t in any shape to travel and we both knew it.
“All right.”
“You stay put. I’m gonna run down the hall and pack my
suitcase, then I’ll sleep here on the couch tonight in case you
need any pain pills or help getting to the bathroom or
whatever.”
“Okay.” I leaned my head back and closed my eyes as the
door snicked shut.
Though the lure to fall asleep was strong and insistent, I
lifted my lids and padded to the bedroom. I still had one
working arm. I could toss my own suitcase on the bed and start
packing.
When I flipped on the light, I saw a note and several bills
nestled on my pillow. Easing onto the side of the bed, I gaped
at the three twenties and the three hundred-dollar bills. Then I
picked up the paper…
 H ARMONY —I N CASE THERE ’ S EVER ANYTHING YOU WANT
OR NEED . R OSS

Tracing my fingers over the strong, bold letters, I felt my

heart breaking all over again. Tears I’d thought were all cried
out slid down my cheeks as I pressed the note to my chest.
Lost in misery, I jolted when Bodhi pounded on my door.
Wiping my eyes, I shuffled down the hall and pulled it open.
Ross—wearing a furious scowl—didn’t wait for me to
invite him in. He simply bent and gently lifted me into his
arms before carrying me back to the bedroom.
“What are you doing here?” he thundered as he carefully
eased my backside to the mattress. “You had no business
checking yourself out of the hospital.”
“Packing to go home,” I said, lifting my chin while
struggling to disregard the self-indulgent loss of his heated
body.
“Why the rush, princess?”
“You made it very clear there was nothing left for me here.
Why in the world would I want to stay? To make myself more
miserable? No thank you.”
Ross heaved a heavy sigh and scrubbed a hand over his
head, then carefully eased in beside me. “I’m sorry about
today. I-I… Fuck.”
“Don’t apologize. I’m the one who messed up and
convinced myself that I mattered to you.”
“You do. Too much.”
“Right,” I drawled, quickly clipping the wings of hope
aching to take flight within. Reaching beside me, I picked up
the money he’d left on my pillow and shoved it in his hand.
“Here, I won’t be needing this anymore.”
Ross cupped my wrist and folded the bills back into my
palm. “Keep it.”
“I don’t want it,” I snapped, tossing them back in his lap.
“Then tell me what you do want?”
 “You,” I moaned as tears filled my eyes.
“I’m a mess, princess.” He cupped my cheeks and stared
into my eyes as he brushed away my tears with the pads of his
thumbs.
“No, you’re not. You’ve just told yourself that for so long
you believe it.”
“You don’t understand. When I’m with you, I feel alive
again, and I start wanting things I can’t have.”
“Like what?”
“Love.”
“Why can’t you have love? Why can’t you let me love
you?”
“Because I don’t deserve your love.”
 CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Ross

“T hat’s crazy. Everyone deserves love. Especially, you.”

Harmony challenged.
Gut churning, anxiety spiking, and mind swimming, I
clenched my teeth. The same way I’d done when Bodhi
phoned me a minute ago telling me that Harmony was here, at
the hotel, and alone in her suite. When he told me that they
were leaving in the morning and I had one night to make
things right, I thanked him profusely and raced out of my
room.
Though I knew that Harmony would be appalled, sickened,
and never forgive me, I owed her the truth. But finding the
courage to confess my sins was harder than leaving my band
brothers—letting them down—to get clean and sober in rehab.
Harder than growing up in a fucking shrine of possessions
without love.
It was overwhelming how effortlessly Harmony had
awaked emotions I thought were long dead. I physically and
mentally ached to shower her with the love she’d resurrected.
But filling her with false hope, without her knowing the truth,
was nothing but cruel and inhumane. She needed to know
what I was capable of so she could save herself and walk away
of her own volition.
Like a coward, I dragged my eyes from hers and stared out
the window. I couldn’t stomach seeing her reaction when I
ripped my black soul open and showed her the ugliness.
As my mind skipped back in time, I dragged in a deep
breath. “Four and a half years ago, I was living the dream. Life
was perfect. Our latest album had gone double platinum in less
than a week. We’d snagged nearly every rock award at the
Grammys and were supposed to fly to London a few months
later to start another European tour.
“I was home in Chicago when I met a girl named Lily at a
bar down the street. She was wild, spontaneous, and carefree,
and I drank in those things about her like water. I envied her
for being so free, for not having to grow up with a set of
regimented rules and shit. We started dating and she took me
to lots of parties and introduced me to a bunch of her friends.
They all seemed nice, a little crazy like her, but they were
regular people. A few weeks later, I asked her to move in.
“We’d been together a month or so when I accidently
walked in on her while she was in the bathroom doing a line of
coke off the marble sink. I had no idea she was doing drugs. I
was pissed that she’d brought that shit into my house. Pissed
that she’d hidden it from me. But mostly I was pissed at
myself for being so fucking wrong about her. I told her to pack
her things and leave.
“She cried and begged me to let her stay, promised me that
she’d throw it all away and never use again. Lily swore that it
was a one-time thing, that she was curious and wanted to try
cocaine. And like a fool, I believed her, so I let her stay.”
Stomach churning, I closed my eyes and swallowed down
the ball of guilt clogging my throat.
“A few months later, right before the guys and I were
supposed to leave for London, a buddy of mine called. He’d
just opened a bar and grill in a little town southeast of
Rockford and invited me to come see the place. I couldn’t turn
him down, so Lily and I hopped into my Ferrari and zoomed
up the highway. We were laughing and joking and having a
good time, until she leaned over and kissed me on the cheek.
That’s when a packet of cocaine spilled out of her purse and
landed on the console.”
 Harmony gasped, but I didn’t look her way. I couldn’t. If I
did, I’d never be able to push this confession off my lips.
“As she grabbed it, I cinched her wrist and told her to open
her hand. Lily refused and started slapping my arm, screaming
for me to let her go. I lost my shit. I started yelling at her,
demanding to know how long she’d been using again. She told
me she’d never stopped. I was so shocked that she’d played
me, I took my eyes off the road. It was only for a second,
but…”
I paused and willed down the bile rising in the back of my
throat.
“A panel van had broken down on the highway. It was
stalled out in the middle of my lane. I didn’t even see it until I
was right on top of it. I tried to swerve, but it was too late. The
car pretty much disintegrated all around me, and though I had
some cuts on my face and hands, I was relatively unscathed.
Lily wasn’t so lucky. The passenger side of the car took the
full force of the crash. She was messed up, badly…bleeding
everywhere…”
I paused as the sounds, smells, and sights of the nightmare
slammed through my brain. My stomach and heart clutched in
tandem.
“She was still alive when I dragged her onto my lap and
cradled her in my arms. She kept begging me… Please, Ross.
Let me explain. Lily was lying there, dying in my arms, and all
she wanted to do was try and make me understand. But I
couldn’t…couldn’t wrap my brain around her choosing drugs
over me. I knew in my gut she wasn’t going to make it, so I
lied. I lied and told her it was okay. Told her I wasn’t mad. The
last word she ever spoke…was a whispered, sorry.”
I swiped at my tears, lowered my chin, and stared at the
carpet while Harmony sniffed and stroked my back.
“It wasn’t your—”
“Don’t,” I growled. “I killed her.”
“It was an accident, Ross.”
 I couldn’t play the coward any longer. Lifting my head,
more tears slid down my face, while the scalding pain that had
never left my soul blazed even brighter.
“I didn’t find out until after the autopsy…” As a wall of
agony crashed down over me, my voice cracked beneath the
wretched strain. “I didn’t just kill Lily…I killed our child,
too.”
Turning away, I let the coward win out again and dropped
my chin…body shaking with silent sobs.
“Lily was pregnant?”
“Seven weeks,” I whispered, struggling to regain control
of myself.
“Oh, god, Ross. No.” The horror dripping off Harmony’s
words only confirmed what I’d known for years…I was an
unforgivable monster.
Swallowing down the wail of guilt and regret choking the
air from my lungs, I fought the urge to stop the story there. But
Harmony deserved to know everything. Every last dirty detail.
“I called Quinn before the cops and paramedics even
reached the scene. He contacted his lawyer, Reed, who told me
not to say anything. That he’d meet me at the hospital in
Rockford.” I scoffed and shook my head. “Reed has a lot of
friends in the state. He assured me that friends take care of
friends.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means the police report, the one that states Lily was
alone in the car, driving under the influence of cocaine, is
sealed and can’t ever be opened again.”
“How can they do that?”
“If there’s a guarantee some important person will be
reelected and enough money and influence are contributed to
that campaign, anything is possible. I bought their silence to
protect my sorry ass,” I confessed quietly.
Harmony didn’t say anything. What was there to say? I’d
killed my child, my girlfriend, and paid a shitload of money to
keep my sins a secret.
“Reed made up some story about me tripping through a
plate-glass window at the hospital. After they stitched me up,
he drove me home. He assured me that everything…the police
reports, coroner’s reports, toxicology, all of it, would never see
the light of day. His friends had erased me from the scene of
the accident, whipped up some crazy story about Lily
borrowing my car, then sealed up every lie and locked them
away. But the one thing none of them could erase or magically
make disappear was my guilt. Nothing could. So, one day I
decided to let cocaine do it for me. I figured since it had
helped Lily live a happy, carefree life…maybe it would do the
same for me. It didn’t. It destroyed me even more.”
“I’m sorry, Ross. What happened to Lily was horrible. But
I don’t understand why you let her ghost continue to torture
you. Why are you letting an accident you had no control over
keep you from living a happy life?”
“That’s easy… Atonement, princess.”
“For who?” Harmony asked indignantly. “Lily or the
baby?”
“Both.”
Harmony scooted off the bed, then, hobbling on her good
knee, wedged herself between my legs. Cupping my chin, she
lifted my face, forcing me to look at her. The anger flickering
in her pretty blue eyes combined with the tears streaming
down her face confused the hell out of me.
“Let me get this straight. You’d rather spend your life
atoning for a drug addict who wouldn’t stop poisoning her
blood and the innocent blood of your unborn child—a child
she didn’t have the decency to tell you, the father, she was
carrying—rather than spend it blissfully happy?”
“Someone has to,” I bit out.
“Normally, I would say yes. The universe will find a way
to balance itself with or without our consent. But in your case,
it already has. It balanced itself out the instant your car
crashed. Karma, Fate, and the Universe combined and righted
the wrongs Lily was inflicting on you and your innocent
unborn child.” Harmony pressed her warm lips to mine and
whispered, “Please, stop sacrificing yourself for a debt that’s
already been paid.”
As her words penetrated my pain, the ugly weight of guilt
and despair began slowly lifting.
“You can’t be at peace with life until you’re at peace with
yourself. And the only way you’ll ever find closure is to
realize you deserve a better life than the one you’re living.”
I absorbed every word she said, but tinges of shame
remained.
“I just want to go back in time and change the past.”
“What would happen if you could?”
“Lily and our baby would still be alive.”
“Maybe. Or Lily might have left you and taken your
daughter in her fifth, seventh, or ninth month of pregnancy in a
different kind of accident, like an overdose.” Harmony’s words
sent a chill slithering through me. “The universe spared you as
much as it could, but it still left you with plenty of lessons. I’m
sure you learned about acceptance in rehab, but you’re
refusing to learn the rest.”
“Learn the rest of what?”
“To live and laugh again,” Harmony replied, forgiveness
beaming in her blue eyes. “But the biggest lesson of all is to
learn to love again. It doesn’t matter who, where, how, or
when, but you have to give yourself permission to love again,
Ross.”
I brushed the hair from her face, cupped her cheeks, and
hovered my lips over hers. “I already have. The how is
becoming clearer every day. The where and when were in the
restaurant downstairs at breakfast. And the who…that’s
simple. It’s you, princess. I’ve fallen madly in love with you.”
“Oh, god,” she whispered.
Happiness and hope lit up her face as I carefully lifted her
onto my lap.
 Cupping Harmony’s nape, I slanted my lips over hers,
drowning her in all the love and passion overflowing inside
me. Drinking down her kitten-soft moan, I finally found the
peace and serenity I’d lost so long ago.
The room was getting hotter, or maybe our mutual hunger
was to blame. Either way, I had to cool things down and give
her body time to heal. Gently laying her across the bed, I eased
from her lips and trailed soft kisses along her jaw. Then I sat
up and drank in the contours of her pretty face, praying that
she might be willing to give a fraction of her big, warm heart
to a traveling drummer who was finally learning to love again.
“Do you think you might want to try being my real
girlfriend for a while?”
“Hmm.” Her brows furrowed as she cocked her head,
pondering my question. “What if I’ve been pretending to be
your pretend girlfriend all this time, and I’ve fallen hopelessly
in love with you?”
My heart nearly leapt from my chest and a wide grin
stretched my lips. “Then I’d say when we’re ready, we’ll have
a storybook wedding that we can tell all our kids about.”
“On the mountain?”
“Anywhere your heart desires.”
“How many kids?” She grinned.
“As many as you want.”
She cupped my cheek and looked deep into my eyes. “I
love you, Ross.”
“I love you, too,” I drawled in a raspy tone and kissed her
with every ounce of love that was in my heart.
Our stomachs growled in tandem, and our fervent kiss
ended with Harmony consumed by a fit of giggles. I plucked
up the phone on the bedside table and called room service. It
was still too soon for bacon-wrapped scallops, so I ordered us
both a bowl of soup and a grilled cheese sandwich, the foods
Sylvia’s cook fixed me when I was sick as a kid. As Harmony
wiped the happy tears from her face, I placed another call.
 “It’s me,” I said when Bodhi answered his phone. “You
can put on your pajamas and go to bed. I’ll take good care of
your baby girl tonight.”
“Thank god. I knew you could do it, son.” I could hear the
smile in his voice.
“Thank you for…everything. I’m forever in your debt.”
“Just love my girl with all your might and make her happy.
That’s all I need.”
“With pleasure.” I smiled and hung up the phone.
“Was that…Dad?”
“Yep.”
“Oh, that traitor. He called you and told you I was here,
didn’t he?”
I arched my brows. “Do you wish he hadn’t?”
“No way. I’m just surprised…but yet, I’m not. He picks up
on things the way I do.”
Harmony sat up and stared at me as if she were trying to
climb into my mind. A wide grin tugged her lips and she
tossed her good arm straight into the air. “Finally.”
“What?”
“Your walls are down…completely gone. I can feel your
emotions. Feel… Oh, my god.”
“What?”
“I can feel your love for me. It’s…enormous.”
I flashed her a cocky grin. “Wait till you feel how
enormous it is once you’re healed.” A hot blush stained her
cheeks. And I couldn’t help but laugh. “Don’t worry. When
the time comes, I’ll be so damn gentle…make you feel so
good.”
“You already do…in every way.”
When she stroked my cheek, I captured her hand and
pressed a kiss to her palm. “Would you like to have dinner on
the terrace?”
 “Oh, yes.” She smiled. “But I need to try and get some
clothes on. I can’t stand this stiff hospital gown.”
“I’ll help you.”
“I’m not sure I can trust myself around you if I’m naked,”
she whispered.
“Then trust me. I’ll be strong enough for the both of us.”
Somehow.
I gently removed the braces on her knee and arm, and as
Harmony sat on the edge of the bed, I threaded her feet
through her soft cotton pajama bottoms. I was so worried
about hurting her, I only lusted after her pretty bare pussy and
dusty pink nipples a couple of seconds. Okay, maybe it was
minutes, but I didn’t touch her with anything but noble
assistance in my heart. She didn’t need me laving, sucking,
and pawing all over her. She needed to put on some familiar
comfortable clothing, find some normalcy, and rest so she
could heal.
Harmony sucked in a hiss as I helped her into the tee with
little hearts and arrows on it that matched the pants. After
securing both braces again and feeding her a pain pill, I
grabbed a pillow and a blanket, then gently picked her up and
carried her out to the terrace. As her slender hand gripped my
shirt, the demand to protect and keep her safe blazed through
me like rocket fuel.
I settled Harmony on the padded chaise, tucked the pillow
behind her head, and draped the blanket over her legs. Then I
moved a small table and chair alongside her so I could feed
her when dinner arrived.
“What happens now?” she asked in a timid tone.
“We wait for room service.” I knew she was asking about
the future, but the smart-ass in me couldn’t resist teasing her
just a little.
“No, I mean…you’ll be leaving for Chicago soon.
Tomorrow, Dad and I are flying back to Kentucky, and—”
“No, you’re not. You’re coming home with me.”
 “Excuse me?”
“After your arm heals, you need to start physical therapy.
You can’t get that on your mountain.”
“Y-you want me to go to Chicago with you?”
Leaning in, I brushed a soft kiss over her lips, gingerly
pressed my forehead to hers, and stared into her shimmering
eyes. “Princess, I want you waking up beside me every
morning, to spend every day with you by my side and close
my eyes each night with your sexy, sated, spent body wrapped
in my arms.”
“Ross,” she whispered, eyes filled with hope.
“Come home with me, Harmony. Let me love and take
care of you.”
Tears filled her eyes again, happy ones, and with a watery
smile, she nodded.
 CHAPTER NINETEEN

Harmony

W aking up in Ross’s big arms was the closest to heaven

I’d ever been. Closer than standing at the top of my
mountain with my arms stretched to the sky.
Eyes closed, I didn’t move a muscle, didn’t want to disturb
the serenity I found breathing in his masculine scent and
savoring the heat of his warm body. While a part of me longed
to stay here sheltered in his arms, another part was anxious for
us to leave for Chicago.
Ross knew volumes about me, my life, and my home.
Though I wasn’t looking forward to possibly meeting Angie, I
was more than curious to see where and how he lived. Okay,
so maybe I was a little curious to meet her. I needed to find out
why Ross chose to be intimate with Angie instead of the
young, eager band bunnies who boldly offered him their
bodies.
“The questions rolling around in your sexy head are loud
enough to wake the dead.” His voice was deep and thick from
sleep. A naughty shiver slid through me.
“Good morning.” I raised my head and smiled up at him.
After he pressed a soft kiss to my lips, his brows furrowed.
“Ask. You’re not allowed to keep things from me anymore.”
“Allowed, huh?”
“Allowed.”
 “All right. Does Angie live with you?”
“Yes.”
My stomach swirled and a million more questions
slammed my skull.
That wasn’t the answer I’d expected or hoped for.
“She’s my housekeeper.”
“And your lover.”
“Ex-lover.”
“How ex? Years? Months?”
“Three days.”
As he watched me with a dissecting stare, my mouth went
dry. My heart clutched. My stomach stopped swirling and
sailed to my toes, landing like a brick. “Maybe it’s best if I go
home with—”
“She’s found someone else. We agreed to part ways before
I met you.”
“But she still lives with you. What if things don’t work out
between her and…whoever she met?”
“Are you afraid I’ll take her back and toss you to the curb
if things don’t work out between her and Thomas?”
“You know the man she’s seeing?”
“No. I haven’t met him yet, but I’m looking forward to it.”
What man wanted to see his ex’s new boyfriend?
Back home we tried to live in a world without stress or
strife, but when Celeste broke up with Arlo and started dating
Dusty, things had gotten intense. Poor Arlo couldn’t look at his
replacement without wanting to beat him to a bloody pulp. For
months we kept Arlo far away from the happy couple, until
Blossom caught his eye. Arlo finally embraced acceptance…
and her. But the whole ugly mess left a sour taste on my
tongue and turned me off from wanting to date the few eligible
men on the mountain.
“Looking forward to it? Why?”
 “To make sure he’s not a douchebag or a player.”
“And if he is?”
“I’ll help Angie find someone else.” Confusion must have
been written all over my face, because Ross smiled. “Relax,
love. She’s dying to meet you.”
“What?” I gaped. “Y-you told her about me?”
“Damn right I did. I called her from your hospital room to
let her know I was okay and to tell her about you. She was
ecstatic and made me promise to bring you home.”
Our conversation was getting stranger by the second.
“She wants to meet me?”
“Yes. Angie’s been on my ass for years to start living
again. She can’t wait to… How did she put it? Oh, yeah. To
finally meet the angel who picked the lock on my self-imposed
prison.” He smirked. “She tends to get a little overdramatic
sometimes.”
Mind blown, I simply nodded, wondering how awkward
coming face-to-face with his ex-lover and Sylvia’s ex-best
friend was going to be.
Ross’s cell phone began ringing. He rolled over, snagged it
off the nightstand, and glanced at the screen.
“Hey, Bernie.” He smiled. “Yeah, we’re okay. Harmony
got it worse than the rest of us, but she’s going to be fine.”
My bladder was screaming for relief. While the two men
continued talking, I slowly sat up. Trying to ignore the
muscles in my body protesting in pain, I closed my eyes,
clenched my jaw, and carefully stood.
Half a heartbeat later, Ross was at my side. He banded a
strong arm around my waist and led me to the toilet. Lifting
his shoulder, he tucked the phone against his ear and gently
tugged the bottoms of my pajamas down. Then, after helping
me ease onto the seat, he chivalrously left the room. I managed
to pull my pants up, but they hung a bit sideways.
 It was eye-opening to realize all the little things I took for
granted, like using two hands. Or how opening a simple bar of
soap could be an Olympic event I hadn’t trained for. Using my
teeth, I finally pried the box open and claimed the gold.
Sending up a silent plea to the goddess Patience, I asked
her to help me maintain peace and serenity while learning to
navigate my world with one hand. By the time I hobbled out of
the bathroom, Ross was still on the phone, but I could tell by
the tone of his voice, he wasn’t talking to Bernie anymore.
“I’ll see how she feels and let you know,” Ross stated and
hung up.
“Who was that?”
“Burke. He and Sofia, along with those who didn’t already
catch a flight home are meeting up for breakfast downstairs in
an hour. He didn’t know you’d come back to the hotel.”
“Who left already?”
“Quinn checked out early this morning, to help Ava deal
with the cancellation of our tour. Mick, Duke, and Darren flew
out late last night. I guess Tori was a hot mess when she found
out about the accident. Even hearing his voice didn’t stop her
from crying. He couldn’t handle hearing her so distraught. I
think the other two just wanted to go back to LA.”
“Poor Tori. I’m sure she’s glad Darren’s home so she can
take care of him. Speaking of which, would you mind helping
me take a shower and get dressed for breakfast?”
A crooked smile tugged his lips. “Are you asking me to get
you naked?”
My cheeks caught fire, but I sent him a playful smirk.
“Yeah. I just wish it was for something besides a painful
shower.”
“You in pain?”
“Oh, yeah. I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck. But then…
we were, right?”
“You don’t need a shower. I could barely fall asleep lying
next to you last night because you smelled so good. I vote we
get you dressed, get some food in your stomach and a pain
pill. Then if you’re feeling up to it, I’ll help you with a shower
or tuck you in for a nap.”
“Deal. Oh, can I call Dad and invite him to join us?”
“Burk’s taking care of that as we speak.”
Moving slowly and carefully to keep from jostling my
arm, Ross helped me into a pair of yoga pants and an
oversized tee. Then he sat behind me on the bed and gently
brushed the tangles from my hair. By the time we stopped at
Ross’s suite for him to shower, dress, and rebandage some of
his wounds, everyone was waiting for us in the private dining
room downstairs.
Dad glanced at Ross’s arm possessively banded around my
waist and grinned. When I mouthed, thank you to him, he
simply winked. Though I’d seen Burk’s and Sofia’s injuries
yesterday, all the bruises and bandages that Ozzy, Mia, and
Syd were sporting made me realize we were darn lucky to be
alive.
“Bodhi has invited all of us to come visit the mountain,”
Burk announced excitedly.
“When?” I asked, excited now, too.
“As soon as everyone’s healed up and can make the trip.”
Dad grinned.
“I’m dying to see the place,” Ross began. “But I’m taking
Harmony back to Chicago so I can set her up with the best
orthopedic doctors and physical therapists in the city. As soon
as they give their okay, we’ll be ready to make the trip.”
“Is that what you want?” Dad asked with a scowl.
Clearly, he didn’t find Ross’s caveman demeanor
intriguing, but I sure did.
“Yes, without a doubt in my mind.”
“All right, then. I guess I should pack my things and head
to the airport.” He nodded.
 “Before you go, there’s something I’d like to give you,
Bodhi,” Ross announced as he leaned forward and tugged an
envelope from the back pocket of his jeans.
“What’s this?”
“Open it.” Ross smiled.
Curiosity spiked, I watched Dad tear the seal open and pull
out a long piece of paper.
“Oh, hell, son. What have you done?” Dad gasped.
“It’s a cashier’s check…good anywhere in the world,”
Ross murmured. “Pay the taxes on the mountain and use the
rest for whatever you want or need.”
“B-but…there’s enough to pay the taxes and buy another
mountain,” Dad stammered as tears filled his eyes. He shook
his head and tried to thrust the check back into Ross’s hand.
“I-I can’t accept this. It’s too much.”
“Please. Take it. No one can put a price on the way
Harmony’s face lights up when she talks about home. I can
practically see and feel the beauty of the mountain in her
voice. Not to brag, sir, but that”—Ross nodded at the check
—“doesn’t put a dent in my financial portfolio. And even if it
did, I don’t care. I’d do anything to make sure Harmony, you,
and the people of your community never lose your sacred
mountain home.”
“Thank you. Thank you so much,” Dad choked. As a tear
slid down his cheek, and many poured down mine, Bodhi
shook Ross’s hand.
It was early evening, long hours after saying goodbye to
Dad, Ozzy, Mia, Burk, Sofia, and Syd—as they piled into a
limo bound for the airport—that Ross woke me from a much-
needed nap with soft but insistent kisses.
As he leaned over me, I cupped his cheek with my
working hand and let out a sleepy moan. Lifting my heavy
eyelids, I saw a naughty smile tugging the corners of his lips.
“What are you up to?”
 “About eight inches.” Flashing a cocky grin, he stood and
glanced down his naked body, pausing at his swollen shaft.
“Mercy,” I whispered, my gaze now locked there, too.
I’d never seen a man naked, let alone a man naked and
erect. Leaning up on my good elbow, I dragged an instantly
aroused stare over every line, ridge, and plane of his sculpted
torso. My fingers tingled to trace the flesh of his brown, flat
nipples. My mouth watered with the ache to slide my tongue
over his taut flesh and colorful tattoos. Even his navel made
my girl parts throb in demand.
Skimming down farther, I sucked in a shaky breath and
stalled another heart-stopping stare at his thick, wide, weeping
erection. Like the rest of him, it was huge and lined with
pulsating veins that sent tingles skipping through me. Maybe I
should have been scared by the sheer size of his glorious girth,
but I wasn’t. I was curious. I wanted to touch him…wanted to
wrap my hand around his engorged flesh and feel the heat and
weight of him in my palm.
“Oh, my,” I whispered, unconsciously licking my lips.
“Don’t do that, princess,” Ross growled hoarsely. “I’m
hanging by a thread here. You keep looking at my cock like
that while licking those pretty plump lips, and I’m going to
lose all control.”
Please, do.
With a mournful moan, I pinched them together.
“This is going to get way harder than I expected,” Ross
murmured.
“Harder?” I choked, gaze still locked on his shaft. “It looks
like it’s going to burst through your skin already.”
Ross chuckled. “The only way I can get harder than this
would be if I were inside you. But until you feel—”
“I feel great. That nap did wonders.” My breaths were
quick and shallow.
“Oh, my little temptress. Let’s get you up and out of those
clothes while I still have a sliver of restraint.”
 When I sat up, I noticed his suitcases were sitting by the
closet. Ross followed my line of sight and grinned.
“While you were sleeping, I checked out of my room and
moved in here. You don’t mind, do you?”
“No, I’m glad you did.” And was even happier that there
might be a future with Ross after all.
After attaching the plastic cover over my cast, Ross
adjusted the water temperature and led me into the massive
shower. I stood beneath the spray and moaned as it pelted my
aching muscles. After shampooing my hair, Ross wrapped an
arm around my waist and held on to me as I tipped my head
back and rinsed the bubbles away. The feel of his thick, hot
erection pressing against my stomach unleashed a riot of
wanton cravings within.
By the time he finished repeating the process with my
conditioner, my clit was throbbing like a drum, and my hips
were bouncing against his all on their own.
“Harmony, baby…you gotta stop doing that,” Ross bit out
between clenched teeth.
“I can’t help it,” I whimpered. “I ache so bad. I need you to
take it away like you did the night of the concert.”
“I know, princess. I’m throbbing like a bitch here, too,” he
growled, slathering his big hands in soap.
“Tell me what to do for you.”
“There’s nothing you can do, but I’ll help take your ache
away again.”
Claiming my lips in a ravenous kiss, Ross swallowed my
needy moans as he molded his hand against my waist and
anchored me in place. Then he glided his other over my hip to
the top of my thigh—leaving a trail of delicious sparks in its
wake—before cupping my mound with his palm. His hand
stilled, and I whimpered in need as he wrapped his tongue
around mine and pulled me into his sweltering mouth.
Pulsing against his palm, I tried to alleviate the incessant
throb by rocking myself against his hand, silently willing him
to take the ache away. But Ross was in no hurry to put out my
fire. Long minutes later, after kissing me dizzy, he dragged his
fingers up the seam of my folds.
Anticipation spiked.
Skating kisses and love bites down my neck and chest—
sending the flames licking my spine jumping even higher—
Ross lashed my nipple with his masterful tongue.
“Your hot pussy is melting and puddling in my hand,” he
murmured against the tight, heavy flesh of my breast. “Soon,
I’m going to put my mouth on you again. Clasp on to your hot
little pussy and lap and suck all that sweet virgin juice from
inside you…make you shatter on my face over and over until
you can’t scream my name anymore.”
I was still whimpering from his salacious words when
Ross slid a finger over my swollen folds. I gasped, then
squealed when he swiped the pad over my thundering clit.
Back and forth, he batted the stiff nub until my knees and core
were quivering, until I clung to his shoulder with my uninjured
hand and issued an unladylike animalistic growl.
The first time Ross touched me like this, I had no idea
where or what I was charging toward. But I did now. Basking
in each coaxing stroke of his fingers, and the lurid dirty words
he continued whispering in my ear, I’d sped toward that
euphoric pinnacle of pleasure like a silver bullet.
Grinding against his busy fingers, I threw my head back
and mewled.
Notching up the pace and pressure with his devilish digits,
Ross dragged his mouth across my chest. Bathing my other
breast with wicked lashes of his tongue, he raked his teeth
over my flesh, then nipped and tugged my throbbing peak.
I was burning alive from the inside out, and my keening
cries echoed off the marble walls and melded with the hot
steam filling the air as I ground wildly against his hand.
“Shatter for me, princess. Fly.”
Ross’s tone was so primal, so commanding, I was helpless
to do anything but unravel. He strummed my clit with his
thumb and pressed his fingers flat against my opening.
As a quaking bolt of lightning slashed my spine, I sucked
in a ragged breath and sank my nails deep into his flesh. Body
humming and muscles tensing, my tunnel clutched like a fist
before violent convulsions seized my empty tunnel.
Shattering into a million exploding stars, I screamed his
name.
“So fucking gorgeous. Yes, princess…just like that,” he
panted as I continued grinding against the soft stroke of his
thumb.
Slowly floating back to earth, I felt Ross’s body rocking
rhythmically. Lifting my heavy lids, I found him, eyes closed
and fisting his hard erection in long, vicious strokes.
Mesmerized by the savage beauty lining his face and the brutal
glory of his muscles bunching and flexing with each cruel
stroke, I reached down and wrapped my hand around his fist.
Ross jolted. His eyes flew open, and I was surprised to see
his dark, dilated pools visibly smoldering in need. Then
without a word, he released his shaft and guided my hand to it.
As I clasped my fingers around him, his hard, thick length
jerked against my palm. Though Ross was hard as steel, his
skin there felt like hot velvet. Enthralled by the unique
sensation, I slowly stroked him, delighting in the feel of his
thick veins skipping over my fingers.
“Fuck.”
The level of hunger in his growled curse, coupled with the
heat flaring in his eyes, sent a shiver quaking through me.
“Teach me how to make you feel good,” I whispered.
“You already are, princess. Your hand feels like heaven.”
“Please.”
As a tremor slid through him, Ross cupped my hand and
squeezed my fingers until I was gripping him firmly.
“Fast and hard,” he bit out, guiding my fist up and down
his length with brutal strokes.
 His tawny nipples had grown darker and were pebbled in
arousal, like mine always did whenever he looked, touched, or
kissed me. As Ross continued directing my fist along his
velvet steel, I leaned in and flicked the tip of my tongue over
his beaded nipple.
A strangled cry of pleasure erupted from the back of his
throat before he sucked in a long hiss. Though I didn’t really
know what I was doing, his response filled me with
empowerment. Letting go of self-doubt, I followed the primal
urges unfurling within. I didn’t want to make Ross feel good. I
wanted to coax the same euphoria from him that he did from
me.
Swirling my tongue around his beaded flesh, I smiled
against his skin when Ross cursed again. Then with a low
growl, he cinched a fist in my hair and held me there, silently
commanding me to keep licking, flicking, and sucking.
While skimming kisses across his wide chest to pay
homage to his other nipple, I glanced down at our hands, now
moving so rapidly they were practically a blur. The hope that
one day—soon—his glorious shaft would be spearing me with
the same manic rhythm caused my clit to start aching again.
Spreading my legs, I repositioned my hips and whimpered as
his engorged tip drummed against my greedy nub.
With a strangled moan, Ross moved his hand from my hip
and gripped one cheek of my butt before pulling me closer.
Flames licked up my spine as his hot, slick tip pierced my
folds and battered my clit.
“Jesus,” he panted. “I want inside you so fucking bad…
want to feel your sweet virgin cunt gripping my dick and claim
your precious hymen.”
The passion in his hungry growl, the images now erupting
in my brain, and the relentless stroke of his crest sent me
sailing toward the heavens all over again.
Fire whipped through me as Ross’s hand, surrounding
mine, jerked to a halt before he squeezed my fingers tightly
around him. I felt him expand and pulse in my hand as he
threw back his head and roared my name.
 Thick streams of hot liquid jettisoned over my clit.
Inundated with the euphoria coalescing off him and the
bliss unfurling inside me, I wailed Ross’s name as I shattered
with him.
Panting wildly, he slid his arm around my waist and pulled
me tightly against him before slapping a palm flat against the
wall. He supported us both for long minutes until our
breathing evened out. But even then, my body was still
quivering and trembling in aftershocks.
“We need to do a whole lot more of that.” Ross smirked.
“Say the word and I’ll give you another private
performance any time you want.” I grinned, tossing out the
words he’d said to me backstage.
After a decadent dinner of bacon-wrapped scallops—that
would forever take the top spot in my book of favorite foods—
on the terrace, Ross climbed into bed beside me.
I languidly woke in his heavenly arms, the next morning,
and we ate a leisurely breakfast in bed, then packed our
suitcases. Ross helped me into another lavish limo before we
boarded a private jet to Chicago.
When we landed, we were whisked away in yet another
limo. Ross called Angie to let her know we were headed her
way and to prepare a guest room for Bernie.
Like ants, anxiety marched beneath my skin.
As if sensing my unease, Ross threaded his fingers through
mine and sent me a crooked smile. “Stop worrying. I was
never in love with Angie. Ever.”
“But you had sex with her.”
The words had barely left my lips when I felt Ross’s walls
close up around him again. My heart sank. How many more
ghosts were hiding in his closet? Refusing to let him shut me
out after we’d come so far, I lifted my chin and arched a brow.
“If I’m not allowed to keep secrets, then neither are you.”
 At first, Ross was visibly taken aback by my challenge,
then slowly nodded, and I blessedly felt his walls fall away
once more.
“You’re right. No more secrets.” He squeezed my hand
and stared off into space. “Lily’s death and becoming addicted
to cocaine messed me up really bad. My entire world, my
whole identity had always centered around control. Control of
my career, my finances, but mostly total control in the
bedroom. One day, I’ll introduce you to that dynamic if and
when you’re ready.”
A kaleidoscope of questions turned in my brain, but I
simply nodded. I didn’t want to sidetrack whatever Ross
needed to say.
“I left rehab assuming that I would come home and resume
my Dominant lifestyle again. But I couldn’t shake the fear of
losing control…of hurting another woman. I stopped having
sex. When jacking off didn’t ease my frustration, I started
drinking…a lot. I’m not a nice drunk. After several months,
Angie had reached her limit. She poured all the booze in the
house down the drain, sat me down, and told me she was
going to send me back to rehab if I didn’t start talking.
“So, I did. I told her everything, spilled it all out at her
feet. When she offered her body to ease my pent-up
frustration, I told her no. That I wouldn’t be able to live with
myself if I hurt her. Since she knew about my need for
Dominance in bed, she suggested something so fucking absurd
I laughed in her face. But the more I thought about it, the more
sense it actually made.”
Ross shook his head and heaved out a heavy sigh.
“I let Angie cuff me to the bed when we had sex.”
The air left my lungs in a whoosh. “Y-you mean…like,
chain you down?”
“That’s exactly what I mean. I couldn’t touch her, couldn’t
hold her, kiss her…nothing. The only thing I had any control
over was coming in a condom.”
 “Oh, Ross,” I whispered, heart breaking in two. “That
sounds so…”
“Cold? Empty? Yeah, it was. But god love her, Angie kept
me sane.”
Every preconceived notion I had about the woman turned
on its axis. Realizing they hadn’t been making love but simply
copulating for nothing more than release, I was in awe of her
compassion and the lengths she’d been willing to go in order
to give Ross the salvation he’d needed.
“But…you’ve touched me, kissed me, done everything but
make love to me. When we make love, w-will I have to chain
you to the bed, too?”
Please say no. Please say no.
“No.” Ross shook his head. Thank goodness. “That first
night in the VIP room with you, I’d already had my hands all
over you when I realized I was still in control. I’d simply
mind-fucked myself for years, thinking I wasn’t. That, and”—
his voice softened—“I’d found the right woman to finally let
myself go with. To let myself be me again.”
“Is that why you kept asking if I trusted you?”
“Maybe, I’m not sure. At the time, I didn’t want to scare
you or force you to do something you didn’t want to.”
I kissed his cheek and smiled. “I want to do everything
with you.”
He let out a strangled groan, then cupped my nape and
pillaged my mouth with his tongue. Sparks and lightning bolts
ignited inside me, but as the limo slowed and finally came to a
stop, Ross pulled back and glanced out the window.
“We’re home.” He grinned.
I leaned down and peered at the house…no, peered at the
castle, and pressed a hand to my heart, now slamming against
my ribs. The stone circular drive and the white limestone and
beige stucco exterior that framed massive shimmering
windows on every floor and the numerous peaks of the roof,
boasting at least five fireplaces, looked like a French chalet I’d
once seen in a magazine.
“Th-this is your house?” I stammered.
Ross chuckled. “Don’t worry. It’s homey inside. Not
pretentious like Sylvia’s place.”
“Y-you live here…just you and Angie?”
“I needed a tax write-off.” He shrugged.
“How many bedrooms are in this place?”
“Eight. Eight bedrooms, ten bathrooms, a workout room,
sauna, library, wine cellar, media room, a couple of offices,
and a pool in the back.”
“I’m going to need a map to keep from getting lost.”
He chuckled again. “It’s not that big.”
“Compared to what I lived in, it’s gigantic.” I glanced over
my shoulder and pointed to the round white marble waterfall
poised on the front lawn, surrounded by sculpted shrubs. “The
trailer I share with Bodhi is smaller than that.”
“Then you’ll have plenty of room to stretch your limbs.”
He grinned as the driver opened the door.
Placing my palm in his hand, Ross helped me from the
vehicle as an excited squeal split the air. Sliding a possessive
arm around my waist, he turned and smiled. Stepping off the
porch, a tall, willowy, strawberry-blonde with twinkling blue
eyes rushed toward us.
“Oh, my…” She flashed a blinding smile that highlighted
tiny lines around her eyes and mouth. “Harmony, it’s an honor
to meet you. I’m Angie, Ross’s housekeeper, cook,
secretary”—she glanced up at the man and tilted her head
—“and friend.”
Flooded by the happiness and serenity flowing off her, my
angst vanished.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, too.” It was, now that I knew
she was the kind of friend who’d given so much to help save
Ross.
 Eyeing the braces on my knee and arm, and the bandages
still covering Ross’s hand and forehead, Angie tsked. “You
two look like you’ve been in a war. Come, I’ve fixed us some
lunch. I hope you don’t mind, but when Ross told me you like
being outdoors, I set everything up on the lanai.”
“That sounds wonderful. Thank you.” I grinned as Ross
gave me a little squeeze.
He stayed behind as the driver retrieved our luggage while
Angie led me through the chic entryway. The white marble
floors with speckled gray inlays shimmered beneath a massive
crystal chandelier. Glossy wooden stairs framed in white wood
hugged the wall to my right. They curved up to the second
floor, surrounded by a bannister of ornate iron, and swept over
my head, ending in a little balcony to my left. The walls were
painted in tones of pale gray and seemed to glow from the
floor-to-ceiling windows along the front of the house.
“Mercy,” I whispered.
Drinking in each elegant inch of the coffered ceilings, the
masculine office, bright and airy dining room, homey family
room with thick-padded gray sectionals and accent pillows of
charcoal and cream, I followed Angie over the glossy
hardwoods and out to the ginormous patio.
Like the bannister, the swimming pool curved and swirled
as if cut from a cloud. The shimmering blue water called to
me. If it weren’t for the cast on my arm and the brace on my
knee, I would have dived in and surrounded myself in buoyant
bliss.
Seconds later Ross joined us, and together we sat at a long
table beneath a stone gazebo, talking, laughing, and enjoying
the scrumptious food Angie had prepared.
“So, when do I get to meet Thomas?” Ross asked.
Angie frowned and waved his question away. “Thomas is a
tool. Get this…he’s married.”
“What?”
“Yeah. I did a little research. Though he told me he was
divorced, I found a photo of him and his wife, who was still
wearing her rock of a wedding ring, together at a benefit
dinner.”
“You know the tabloids like to—”
“No. I confronted him. He confessed. I told him to hit the
road.”
“I’m sorry,” I murmured.
“I’m not,” Angie scoffed, then locked a sly smile on Ross.
“I’m looking forward to seeing the face that goes with the
voice of your friend Bernie. He called this morning to tell me
he was on his way.” She glanced at her phone sitting on the
table. “He should be here in about five more hours.”
“He’s handsome,” I blurted. Ross’s brows arched.
“Oh, he is, is he?”
I laughed at the jealousy in his voice and nodded.
“Forget him,” Angie instructed. “How handsome? Give me
details, woman to woman.”
“Medium height, broad shoulders, twinkling green eyes,
and snow-white hair. He was wearing a cap, so I don’t know if
he’s balding on top or anyth—”
“Balding is fine. Go on,” Angie encouraged.
“He has a warm smile. He’s a kind, caring man with an
equally warm heart.”
“I had no idea you were checking Bernie out so…
thoroughly,” Ross groused.
The tinges of jealousy were still zinging off him. I clasped
his hand and drew it to my lips and pressed a soft kiss to his
skin. Then I stared deeply into his eyes, flooding Ross’s
system with reassurance. “He’s old enough to be my dad. The
only reason I was checking him out was because I knew how
important he was to you.”
“Well, I’m going to be checking him out for entirely
different reasons. Just saying.” Angie giggled.
 In my mind, I caught a flash of Bernie and her together,
deliriously happy.
As I stared into Ross’s sexy dark eyes, I knew the universe
was finally aligning itself perfectly.
Days spilled into weeks filled with erotic, explosive
mornings, nights, and shared showers. Ross taught me how to
give him the pleasure I’d been dying to with my mouth. Every
time his masculine essence burst over my tongue, my blood
boiled. While we continued to heal—the only testament to the
accident that remained was the brace on my arm and multiple
hours of physical therapy—Ross still hadn’t made a woman of
me.
As we lay in bed listening to Angie and Bernie laughing
downstairs, I rolled to my side, gazed into Ross’s eyes, and
gathered up my courage.
“When are you going to make love to me?” I whispered.
He reared back and blinked, then a slow smile tugged his
lips. “I’ll have to check my day planner and get back to you on
that.”
I smacked him on the shoulder. “I’m being serious.”
His smile widened as he pulled me against him. “I’m
waiting for the perfect moment. Something so monumentally
epic that you’ll always remember your first time.”
“Silly man,” I chided. “Every second I spend with you is
monumentally more epic than the last.”
“I was actually hoping I could hold off until we made the
trip to Kentucky.”
“Why?”
“Because you love the mountain. I wanted to make love to
you for the first time there, beneath the stars.”
“I do love it. It’s been my home for twenty-three years. But
I love you more. My life is with you; here, there, and in every
city you play a concert. You’re my home, now.”
“Aww, princess,” he groaned.
 “Make love to me, Ross…please?”
He clenched his jaw and, without a word, rolled out of bed.
Sucking in a startled breath, I sat up and watched as he lit the
logs in the white marble fireplace across from the footboard.
Ross’s shaft was already hard and jutting out from beneath his
rippled abs as he strode back to the side of the bed. Lifting the
electronic keypad from the nightstand, he pushed a couple of
buttons. As soft, romantic music filled the air, the curtains
retracted, and moonlight spilled into the room.
“You thought about this, haven’t you?”
“Every fucking day since I laid eyes on you, princess,” he
growled as he climbed onto the bed and prowled over me.
Though I hadn’t regained all the strength to my injured
arm yet, I could use it…could press both palms against his
steely abs. Drinking in the warmth of his flesh, I let my fingers
dance over his hard chest and savored the sparks skipping up
my arms.
Ross brushed the hair from my face and gazed into my
eyes. “I hate knowing that what I’m about to do is going to
hurt you. But I promise, I’ll do everything in my power to
replace the pain with ecstasy.”
Tears of gratitude and happiness stung my eyes. “I’m not
afraid of anything. I trust you with all of me.”
 CHAPTER TWENTY

Ross

H eart in my throat, I slid my hands beneath her back,

lifted Harmony onto my thighs, and hugged her to my
chest. Enveloped in her alluring scent of honeysuckle and
lilac, I drank in the contours of her face. There wasn’t a hint of
reservation or doubt in her electric-blue eyes. The flames from
the fireplace dancing over her flesh illuminated her dusty-pink
nipples now stabbing the air and ignited an even bigger blaze
inside me.
After endless weeks of fantasizing about this moment, I
couldn’t believe it was actually about to happen. And while I’d
desperately wanted to make her a woman where she’d spent
every day as a child, there was no way in hell I could refuse
Harmony’s heart-melting, ball-churning, and cock-hardening
plea.
Remember. Take it slow, fucker, the little voice in my head
warned.
Silencing every cell in my body screaming for me to hurry,
I gazed at the moonlight painting her flesh in a golden hue and
gently cupped her nape.
“I love you, princess.”
“I love you, t—”
Though I knew I needed to go slow, I couldn’t wait to feel
her lips a second longer. Cinching a hand in her hair, I
captured them in an urgent, passionate kiss. Long seconds
later, I gently teased her seam with my tongue. With a blissful
sigh, Harmony opened, and I plunged inside, savoring the
liquid heat of her mouth with long, deliberate strokes.
Easing back slightly, I cupped her heavy breast in my palm
and dragged my thumb over her pebbled nub. She sucked in a
gasp, drawing the air from my mouth, then moaned against my
tongue as I toyed and teased the hard tip.
Almost instantly, Harmony started writhing, tickling my
cock with the downy curls that had regrown and searing my
cock with the heat pouring off her wet virgin pussy.
The same wet virgin pussy I’d soon claim.
That realization had my cock—already spilling like a
fountain—weeping even more. The demand to work my
tongue, lips, and teeth down her soft body and plunge my face
between her folds, lap up all her tart juice as it dripped down
my chin, wasn’t helping stem the flow of my cock one damn
bit. But then neither was my plan to layer her orgasms—one
on top of the next—until she was delirious. Only then would I
begin to rupture her fragile hymen.
The ache to see, hear, and feel her shatter pressed in on
me. But knowing she’d be clenching, quivering, and spasming
all around my cock when she came this time had my restraint
coiling so tightly I feared it would snap off its chain. I was
already riding the razor’s edge and I hadn’t even properly
warmed her up.
Raw with need, I begrudgingly eased from her mouth.
Gently sucking the plump flesh of her bottom lip between my
teeth, I gave it a soft tug. Harmony trembled, moaned, and
clung to me like a lifeline as I skimmed kisses across her jaw,
down her slender throat, and over her fragile collarbones
before working my way to her pink, pointed nipples.
“Ross…Ross.” She chanted my name like a prayer.
“I’m right here, princess. I’ve got you. Just let go and
feel…everything,” I murmured before wrapping my mouth
around her breast and pulling her warm flesh deep.
 A low moan rolled from the back of her throat as I laved
my tongue and scraped my teeth over her stony peak. As I
bathed her other breast in the same sweet torture, Harmony
gripped my head and writhed even more.
“Please, Ross,” she begged in a smoky, desperate tone. “I
need your mouth on me.”
“My mouth is on you, princess.”
“No, I mean…down there.”
“Down where?” My lips tugged in a crooked smile as her
cheeks turned pink.
“You know.”
“You mean on your pussy?”
“Yes.”
“Where do you need my mouth?” I taunted. “Tell me.”
“Down there.”
“Say the word, Harmony. Say pussy.”
“It sounds so…dirty.”
“It’s not. Yours is the sweetest pussy on the planet,
princess.” Easing her back onto the mattress, I dragged my
fingers through her saturated curls. “Say it for me.”
“Pussy,” she whispered as I stroked the seam of her wet
folds.
“Good girl.”
As a reward, I glided my lips down her heated and oh-so-
soft, velvety flesh. Wrapping my hands around Harmony’s
slender thighs, I parted her legs and drank in the sight of her
swollen pink folds as a tiny sigh slid off her lips.
Using my thumbs, I spread her wet flesh open and
growled. My mouth was watering as I parted my lips, flattened
my tongue, and swiped it straight up her center. Her earthy
tartness exploded over my taste buds, sending arcs of fire
zipping through my veins. Harmony squealed and damn near
levitated off the bed. I loved her uninhibitedness. Loved her
guttural cries and whimpers when I plied her with sensation.
With my mouth clasped on to her flowing pussy and my
tongue busy circling her innocent entrance, I pressed a wide
palm to Harmony’s stomach, anchoring her to the mattress. I
began lapping at her with purpose and skated my other hand
up her body to pluck and burnish her taut, sensitive nipples.
Bucking and straining against my laving tongue and
scraping teeth, Harmony gripped my head tighter as needy,
incoherent pleas spilled from her lips. It was only a matter of
minutes before her keening cries echoed off the walls. Still
eating at her like a man possessed, I watched and felt as her
muscles seized. Her limbs trembled. And as she pulsed and
spilled all over my tongue, Harmony screamed my name.
Sucking every sweet drop from her quivering cunt, I
welcomed the lightning sizzling my system. Though my cock
was screaming in demand, I knew Harmony wasn’t ready for
me to strip away her innocence. Okay, maybe I wasn’t
mentally ready to inflict that pain.
Buying time to get my head and heart aligned, I let her
savor the ecstasy ricocheting through her and stared up at her
from between her still-trembling legs. The pleasure playing
across her face, her glassy unfocused eyes, and the quivers
tripping through Harmony’s body were awe-inspiring.
While she was still panting and riding blissful aftershocks,
I swirled my tongue around her clit and started ramping her
back up.
“More,” I growled.
Her guttural groans vibrating over my tongue lashed my
spine and made the blood—already blistering my veins—burn
even hotter.
Harmony had been right. I had thought about this day…
obsessed and planned for weeks. But the further I sailed her to
a second peak of pleasure, the more I worried about losing
control. Mentally shaking my useless guilt away, I focused on
gliding her higher. And soar she did, shimmering in the
moonlight, like a stunning, elegant snow dove.
When her raspy moans melded into low, keening cries, my
heart squeezed and my gut clenched. Cock screaming in
demand. Nerves singing like a fucking choir. Anxiety gripped
its hands around my throat as if I was the virgin here. Drawing
in a deep breath, I slowly lifted from her sweet, spilling cunt.
It was time.
Time to change this innocent beauty into a woman.
Time to claim her and make Harmony mine.
I climbed her body, pressing every inch of my hard, solid
frame to her soft, pliable flesh. Though she was scalding me
with heat, I hovered over her and drank in the contours of her
beautiful face. Her lips were parted. Each of her panted
breaths teased my mouth. Her blue eyes were half-lidded,
unfocused, and swimming in desire.
I captured every nuance, every essence of her erotic beauty
and branded it to my memory.
“I’m ready. Do it,” she whispered pitifully.
I bent and peppered tender kisses over her jaw, working
my way to her addicting lips. Brushing them ever so lightly, I
growled. “I’ve waited an eternity for this moment. There’s no
way in hell I’m going to rush a single second, my love.”
Sinking my tongue between her lush lips, I gripped my
cock and aligned my throbbing crest to her sweltering
entrance. The heat encasing me felt beyond sublime. And as
Harmony’s muscles fluttered, her soft, wet kisses bathed my
anxious tip with her slippery virgin cream. My eyes rolled to
the back of my head.
My control coiled tighter and tighter as I slowly pressed
my wide crest through her tiny, tight opening. Slick.
Sweltering. In-fucking-credible. As I slowly stretched and
invaded her innocent flesh, Harmony sucked in a sharp gasp.
Then she raked her nails across my back before sinking them
into my flesh, anchoring herself to me.
 Suddenly, her hips stilled. The pulse point at the base of
her neck was hammering like a drum line. She squeezed her
eyes shut as if waiting for an onslaught of pain.
My beast snarled, eager to drive balls deep inside her snug
tunnel. Refusing to inflict anything but pleasure on the
priceless treasure beneath me, I slowly inched a little more
inside her. Startled by my tenderness, the beast issued a
content purr as Harmony’s tight, wet, quivering glove sucked
at my cock, urging me in deeper.
I knew then she was no longer in control of her body.
Harmony had handed herself over to the primal connection we
shared, since day one, handed herself over to me.
Dominance flooded my system along with the need to
protect, command, and nurture her beautiful body,
compassionate mind, and loving soul. It had been years since
my mind had been able to attain such clarity, since my veins
had pumped with such stark and undeniable purpose.
Surging with control, I wedged my hand between our
bodies and gently stroked her clit.
“Do you know how many times I’ve dreamed of this?” I
murmured as I coaxed her to relax, soften, and let me in.
“Me, too.”
Harmony’s breathless reply went straight to my dick as I
squeezed my crest into her silky walls.
“Oh, god…Oh, Ross, I’m…I’m…” she cried as she
clamped down around my embedded tip and shattered with a
scream of ecstasy.
With each brutal spasm and clasp of her silky cunt, I
inched in deeper.
Filling and stretching her narrow passage, I claimed
Harmony’s fragile hymen.
Claimed her innocence.
Claimed the girl.
 Emotion clogged my throat as I felt and watched her
blossom into a woman before my eyes.
Each moan, each quiver made me fall deeper in love with
her.
Harmony’s unconditional surrender, trust, and love were
beyond anything I’d ever experienced before.
I wanted to stay locked in this perfect bubble of serenity
with her for all time.
“Priceless…you’re a priceless treasure. My priceless
treasure.”
Easing from her silky, slick vise, I pulled out until only my
crest remained inside her. Then I pressed in again, over and
over, painstakingly inching in a little more of my cock each
time.
Dizzy from the fiery friction.
Drunk on her salacious whimpers and moans.
I lost myself in a sensation of bliss I’d never known
before.
My body and brain sizzled and sputtered like bottle
rockets.
Drowning in her ball-churning nirvana, I couldn’t speak,
couldn’t string two words together. Reduced to grunting,
growling, and moaning, I glided my cock in and out of her
quaking core. As I dragged my crest over her electrified G-
spot, I memorized Harmony’s sweet melody of gasps, mewls,
and purrs.
The scent of her feminine essence melded with my male
musk and hung heavily in the air.
Lifting her hips off the bed, I filled my palms with her
succulent ass cheeks. When I angled in deeper, Harmony
squealed as her smoky blue eyes flashed wide. Digging her
heels into the mattress, she met my urgent thrusts. And as I
pumped faster and harder, she tossed her head from side to
side on the pillow, murmuring…chanting incoherently.
 The sight of Harmony lost in clouds of ecstasy, the feel of
her virgin tunnel quivering around me, and the sounds of our
hungry flesh slapping together melted my spine in a cascade of
sparks.
I could feel the last fragments of my resolve slipping
through my fingers.
Not yet. Not yet, I chanted in my mind, but I knew it was a
lost cause.
I wasn’t going to be able to stave off the monstrous orgasm
coiling inside me for very much longer.
Brutally gripping Harmony’s lush ass, I dragged her onto
my cock, forced her sweet cunt to accept the barrage of my
powerful thrusts.
Every cell in my body coiled tighter and tighter.
Her rhythmic grunts gave way to keening cries with a song
so empowering, so compelling I could only do one thing—
shatter with her.
“Open…your eyes, baby…look at me,” I growled between
clenched teeth, desperately clinging to the last vestige of
control.
Harmony complied, blinking rapidly as if trying to clear
the fog of lust coating her brain, as she panted my name on a
dreamy whisper.
As I continued manically thrusting into her wicked core,
the familiar, searing vibration of release hummed through me.
“Come with me, gorgeous. Let’s fly…together.”
“Yes. Oh, god…yes,” she mewled.
Harmony dug her nails deeper into my flesh.
Eyes still locked on mine, her body bowed…arching off
the mattress.
Her muscles turned to stone.
Then, as if Harmony had fused her empathic gifts to my
soul, I felt our orgasms swell and surge in tandem.
 The power and frenzy of a million tsunamis pressed in all
around us.
Demand crested and swallowed us whole, sending us
tumbling—as one—into a life-altering breaker of ecstasy.
Limbs trembling and lungs heaving, I collapsed onto my
elbows before nuzzling my face to Harmony’s neck. As
aftershocks twitched and pulsed through our joined bodies, my
reverie of bliss was ripped apart by the soft sounds of her sobs.
Heart in my throat, I lifted and stared down into her
watering eyes. Panic and fear clogging my throat, I sipped her
tears and stroked a hand through her hair.
“I’m sorry, baby. I’m so fucking sorry I hurt you.”
She shook her head and sent me a pleading expression.
“No. You didn’t. I-I’m not crying because I’m h-hurt or s-sad.
I’m…crying b-because I n-never imagined… It w-was the m-
most glorious experience of m-my life.”
“Oh, thank fuck.” Relief swept through me like a cyclone.
Wrapping Harmony in my arms, I tumbled to my side and
onto my back, dragging her on top of me. With her head
resting on my chest, I strummed my hands up and down her
back as she softly cried.
“You make me the happiest woman on the planet.”
Harmony sniffed.
“Not yet, but I’ll spend the rest of my life trying.”
She lifted her head and sent me a watery smile. “Oh, Ross.
I love you so much.”
Instead of saying the words, I let my lips convey the depth
of love spilling from inside my soul.
Long minutes later, when she’d stopped crying, I carried
Harmony to the bathroom. After filling the spa tub with
steaming-hot water and her favorite honeysuckle bath oil, I
eased us into the churning swirls and pampered her with well-
earned aftercare.
 “I’m sure you noticed that I didn’t wear a condom,” I
murmured. “I’m clean. I always have been. I just couldn’t
stand the thought of putting any kind of barrier between us.”
“It’s okay. I wasn’t worried about that.”
“Are you worried I might have gotten you pregnant?”
“A little, but I wouldn’t call it worried. Curious maybe.”
“Really?” I grinned. “I wouldn’t mind one damn bit if you
are.”
“You wouldn’t?” She blinked up at me, surprise written all
over her face.
“Since we’re gonna start a family one of these days, might
as well be now.”
“Oh, my. I love you.” Harmony grinned.
Cupping my nape, she dragged my lips to hers and kissed
me with such passion my heart nearly exploded. I couldn’t get
my fill of her, so we dried off and climbed back into bed. I
made slow, sweet love to her again. Somehow, it was even
better than the first time.
As dawn was beginning to break, I used my mouth to drag
another quaking orgasm from Harmony’s sweet cunt. Sated,
exhausted, and limbs tangled with hers, I tucked her against
me. She nestled in close, rested her head on my shoulder and
her hand on my heart while her breathing quickly evened out. I
closed the blinds and waited until Harmony fell asleep before
letting darkness pull me under.
My usual nightmare of cocaine, a crumpled Ferrari
fuselage, the stench of copper-scented blood gushing over my
fingers, and whispered apologies didn’t haunt me.
Instead, I found myself standing barefoot in lush, green
grass, hand in hand with Harmony. We stood on top of her
mountain watching the sunrise.
Like a surreal painting, the golden orb cresting on the
horizon of a far-off ridge illuminated the sky in hues of pink
and purple. Between our spot on the mountain surrounded by
tall green pine, maples, oak, and colorful dogwoods were rows
and rows of jagged treelined hills and valleys. Each one was
brushed in gradient shades of azure fog.
Grudgingly peeling my eyes off the breathtaking vista
before me, I cupped Harmony’s chin and gazed into her silver-
blue eyes. “How in the world did you have the willpower to
leave this?”
She smiled and wrapped her arms around me. “That’s
easy. You needed me.”
“Yes, I did. I never knew how much until I met you, but
why did you decide to help me?”
“I might not be able to change the world, but I knew if I
helped you find peace and serenity again, that I could change
your world. That was all the incentive I needed.”
“You have changed it, princess. Changed it for so much
better than I ever thought I deserved.” Delving deeply into her
eyes, I strummed my thumb over her bottom lip. “I love you,
Harmony. Love you more than I knew was possible. Marry
me.”
“Yes. Yes. Oh, yes,” she squealed.
As she climbed my body, wrapping her arms around my
neck and locking her legs around my waist, I cinched a hand
in her hair, tilted her mouth beneath mine, and branded the
promise of forever to her ripe lips.
Floating to the surface, my system was humming with joy.
Even more so when I felt Harmony’s arm draped over my
chest and her leg on top of my thighs. The heat of her pussy
meshed against my flesh and my nose buried in her hair,
breathing in the sweet scent of honeysuckle, lilac, and
sunshine filled me with pure, unadulterated bliss.
I ached to wake up every morning just like this.
Eyes still closed, I savored every second, every minute
detail of the precious vixen softly snoring in my arms. As my
dream of the mountain slowly rolled through my brain,
goosebumps peppered my skin. Maybe it hadn’t really been a
dream at all. Maybe it was a glorious premonition.
 Carefully easing Harmony off me, I slowly rolled out of
bed, grabbed my jeans, and padded to the kitchen. Though it
was nearly two o’clock in the afternoon, I started brewing a
pot of coffee. As I plucked out my cell phone and placed a call
to Bodhi, Angie appeared. As she began preparing Harmony
and me some breakfast, she shooed me from her workspace.
Ambling out the back door, I sat by the pool and began
planning and plotting with Harmony’s kind, loving father.
When I returned to the kitchen, I saw that Angie was almost
finished with our breakfast.
“I’ll have it arranged for you two by the pool in ten
minutes.” She smiled.
“Thank you.”
I raced upstairs, to find Harmony was still sleeping
soundly. I eased onto the mattress and started waking her with
kisses. Her sleepy, kitten-like moans went straight to my cock.
It took all the self-control I possessed not to tear off my jeans
and sink balls deep into her snug tunnel again. The only thing
that stopped me was I knew she had to be sore, and the
thought of hurting her made my balls all but shrivel up, in a
bad way.
Suddenly, she turned her head and cringed. “I have dragon
breath.”
“What?”
“Dragon breath. Morning breath. It’s nasty.”
Cupping her nape, I lifted her head off the pillow and drew
her mouth in close to mine. “Princess, I don’t care if you’ve
eaten a can of sardines and raw onions, I am kissing you.
Kissing you.” I pressed my lips to hers. “Every.” Another kiss.
“Fucking.” And again. “Morning,” I growled as I plunged my
tongue in deep and ravaged her soft, slick mouth.
Though I wanted to stay locking lips and tangling tongues
with her until hell froze over, we needed food to keep our
stamina up for bigger and better things. Like the big thing now
strangling inside my jeans.
 Slowly easing from her succulent lips, I moaned. “Grab
your robe. We’re having breakfast by the pool.”
“Mmm,” she purred. “You know you’re spoiling me too
much, right?”
“When it comes to you, there’s no such thing as too much
spoiling. Come on. Before I decide to let our food get cold and
focus on making you hot.”
She flashed a coy smile that was cute as fuck. “I never said
I was hungry.”
“I am. And though I’m not complaining, you’re depleting
my reserves, princess. I need to feed the machine. The last
thing I want to do is run out of steam in the middle of rocking
your world.”
“We can’t have that, now, can we?” she giggled as I stood
and opened her robe.
“Not if I’m going to keep making you happy,” I murmured
as she slid her arms into the sleeves. “And oh, baby…I aim to
keep you ecstatic.”
I wrapped the garment around her and smiled when she
shivered.
Harmony turned, lifted to her toes, and pressed her lips to
mine. “Can we come back here and have dessert after
breakfast?”
My cock leapt and my heart thundered. “Oh, yeah.”
 CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Harmony

T wo weeks later

Peering out the window of the limo traversing the twisting

hills of Kentucky, I caught sight of my mountain. Butterflies
tumbled and swirled low in my belly. It felt like forever since
I’d been home.
“There it is,” I said, pointing out the sharp peak to Ross
who was sitting beside me holding my hand.
“Wow. That’s a big mountain. There are so many trees.”
“Thank you for doing this for me,” I murmured as I leaned
in to kiss his warm lips.
“Thank you for staying with me when we restart the tour
next week. I wanted you to see your dad and visit with your
family before the crazy starts again.”
“I know. And I love you for it.”
“I love you.” He cupped my nape, held me in place, and
snaked his hot, silky tongue into my mouth with a manly
groan.
Making love to Ross was nothing short of ah-mazing. And
kissing him was a sizzling thrill all its own.
 When the limo turned off the main road and began
climbing the gravel drive, I slid across the seat and lowered
the window. Closing my eyes, I breathed in the sweet scent of
pine and grinned while mentally urging the driver to go faster.
Ross eased beside me and threaded his fingers through
mine as we reached the general store. As always, the parking
lot was full of vehicles bearing out-of-state license plates.
Betty, who was on the porch talking to a potential customer
about one of the pictures she had painted, lifted her head and
locked eyes on me before we both started waving excitedly.
When the limo edged around the big curve and Gaia
Garden came into view, I did a double take. The place didn’t
look a thing like it had the day I’d left. The ancient travel
trailers and weather-worn communal houses were gone. In
their place were dozens of brand-new, modern homes. Instead
of milky, scratched plexiglass, real glass windows shimmered
in the sunlight. Sturdy doors that actually aligned with their
frames would undoubtedly keep the cold winter winds at bay.
A dozen men—none of whom I recognized—wearing hard
hats and tool belts were feverishly hammering, sawing, and
putting up frames for several more homes along the main road.
Dad was standing in the grass, talking to yet another
stranger and pointing at the long, electrical lines that
connected each house to a tall power pole. It had been erected
where the bath houses once stood. The fact that they’d been
dismantled told me each dwelling had electricity and indoor
plumbing.
The melding of new and old ways sent a bittersweet pang
of melancholy wending through me. But when I looked out at
the lush vegetables growing in the acre-sized garden and the
well-tended fruit trees, the nostalgia of home warmed me to
the bone.
“I guess the community decided to upgrade with the extra
money you gave Dad.”
“Bodhi told me they’d voted to hire a crew to connect
them to the county utilities. I take it the place looks a little
different?”
 “Not a little, a whole lot. But in a good way…I think.”
Hearing our arrival, or most likely sensing it, Dad turned
his head. When our eyes met, a wide grin lit up his face. A
split second later, he was racing toward the limo screaming,
“Harmony’s home. They’re here, everyone.”
As the limo pulled to a stop, the doors on all the finished
houses swung open, and the whole community rushed out to
greet us wearing smiles and cheering and waving.
“Welcome home, princess,” Ross murmured as he pressed
a kiss to the shell of my ear.
Without waiting for the driver, he reached around me and
opened the door. I’d barely swung my legs from the vehicle
when Dad bent down and plucked me off the buttery leather.
He didn’t even let my feet touch the ground, simply pulled me
in tight for a monstrous hug.
“Welcome home, baby girl.” He grinned and kissed my
cheek.
From the corner of my eye, I saw the driver unloading our
luggage, but lost sight of him when Dad released me and I was
swallowed up by my ecstatically happy family.
Glancing over my shoulder, I saw Ross, leaning against the
limo, beefy arms—adorned with the colorful tattoos I’d
dragged my tongue over more times than I could count—
folded across his wide chest, laughing like a loon.
“What’s so funny?” I called to him.
“It’s fantastic not being the one getting mauled for once,
princess.”
When I reached out for him, Ross pushed off the vehicle,
wedged his way through the masses, and took my hand. With
his arm banded possessively around my waist, Ross smiled as
I introduced him to my mountain family. Daisy, Hope, and
Rose shamelessly flirted with him, but Ross simply announced
that he was madly in love with me. While not especially
gracious or loving, I didn’t feel an ounce of sympathy for their
crestfallen expressions. In actuality, I couldn’t blame them for
trying to catch Ross’s eye. Compared to the available men in
Gaia Garden, he was a rose among dandelions.
“Come, let me show you what we’ve done,” Dad
exclaimed, then paused and nodded toward our luggage. “Jeb
and Tate, will you please carry their bags to Haniel House?”
How apropos, I thought arching my brows at Dad.
“Haniel House? What’s that?” Ross asked.
“Haniel is the archangel of magic and nurturing,” I began.
“She helps others realize their full potential, and ironically, her
crystal is the…moonstone.”
Ross smirked and bent his mouth in close to my ear. “I
think I’ve proven my full potential to you, numerous times.”
A naughty thrill raced up my spine as I softly murmured
back, “Yes, you have. And I can’t wait to feel every glorious
inch of your potential again.”
“Soon, princess. Very, very soon.” Ross winked.
Though I sensed Dad knew we were whispering naughty
things, he simply smiled before turning his full attention on
showing us all the updates. The new structures were each
named after an archangel. Single men and women each had
their own house, while families occupied the first and second
floors of dozens more. Dad showed us the clinic, the enormous
dining hall/meeting room, as well as the new art center and
textile facility. He showed Ross the garden, the various barns
that housed some of our animals, and the massive metal-
framed structure where the various types of cheeses were
produced.
When Dad was called away by a man on the construction
crew, I clasped Ross’s hand and led him up the path toward the
top of the mountain. We’d made it nearly halfway when his
phone began to ring. Slowing to a stop, he glanced at the
screen and smiled as he answered.
“Hey, Angie. What’s up?” Ross paused and seconds later
his eyes grew wide. “Hold on. I’m putting you on speaker.
Harmony’s got to hear this.” Pulling the device from his ear,
he pressed a button and grinned. “Okay, start over.”
 “Hey, girl,” Angie called to me. I could feel the excitement
in her voice. “I was just telling Ross that, while you all are on
tour, Bernie and I are going to hook up with you guys in
Vegas.”
“Oh, that will be fun.” I smiled.
“Tell her why,” Ross prompted.
“We’re getting married,” Angie squealed.
“Oh, my gosh. That’s fantastic.”
“I should have introduced you and Bernie eons ago,” Ross
said with a laugh.
As Angie continued gushing about Bernie’s proposal, I felt
not only the level of her unbridled joy but also the depth of
relief and genuine happiness flowing off Ross. In many ways,
the two had saved one another.
The universe was making great things happen. I knew that
life was a fluid, never-ending circle, and that time marched on.
New chapters were written every day and scored into our
hearts. I was beyond happy for Angie and Bernie and sent up a
little prayer, hoping Ross and I might be lucky enough to find
the same eternal happiness.
After promising to touch base with Angie again soon, Ross
ended the call and we made our way to the big, flat rock by the
stream. The special place I spent most of my free time. The
exact same rock I’d been leaning against when I heard Ross
singing to me in my dream.
And as we looked out from the peak to the majestic tree-
lined valleys below us, I drank in the awe lining Ross’s face.
“This is crazy,” he whispered.
“Crazy pretty, isn’t it?”
“No, I mean crazy spot on.”
“Spot on to what?”
“My dream,” he murmured.
“Wait. You dreamed about the mountain?”
 “Yeah.” He nodded, finally peeling his eyes from the
verdant vista. “I dreamt of this exact spot the first night we
made love.”
“Seriously? Wow. That’s never happened before,” I
whispered. “I might have dream telepathy, too.”
“What does it mean?”
“It means I’m tuned in to you.” I grinned, then leaned up
and kissed him.
“Do you ever have X-rated dreams I can join in on?”
“I do now that you’ve taught me about sex.”
A roguish grin speared his lips. “Want me to teach you
again?”
I peered over his wide shoulder and glanced down the trail.
Though I didn’t see anyone, I could hear their voices as they
worked. “Maybe we can sneak out tonight while everyone’s
sleeping.”
“I like the way you think, princess.”
His deep, guttural growl awakened a needy throb between
my legs. I was about to change my mind and start stripping off
my clothes when I saw Hope strolling up the trail, scouring the
ground for wild herbs to fill the basket on her hip.
Dang it.
I spent the rest of the day smoldering for the chance to be
alone with Ross. His heated stares, pelting me with salacious
promise, pegged the needle on my impatience.
When we left the nightly bonfire and stepped inside the
guesthouse, I brazenly began trying to tear his clothes off. The
demand to feel his hot, naked flesh meshed to mine was like a
beast unfurling inside me. But before I could even peel the
shirt off his shoulders, Ross took control. He circled my wrists
with one hand and raised my arms high above my head.
Pinning me to the wall, he pressed my back up against the cool
surface, cupped one breast, and captured my lips in a spine-
bending kiss.
 The heat of his erection nudging my sweltering folds was
driving me insane. I writhed and moaned and inwardly cursed
the barrier of clothing between us. When Ross pulled away,
leaving me blazing and breathless, a wicked smile tugged his
lips.
“We’ve had a busy day. Let’s get some sleep.”
“What?” I gasped. “You mean let’s go to bed, right?”
“No. I mean let’s get some sleep.” Keeping my wrists
tightly secured in his hand, Ross lowered my arms and led me
to the bedroom.
“B-but…I don’t want to go to sleep yet. I’m not tired. I’m
ready.”
“For?”
“For sex.”
“Are you wet?”
“Soaked.”
“Is your clit throbbing?”
“Harder than any drum you’ve ever played.”
“Good,” he murmured against my lips. “Then simmer a
while longer for me.”
I jerked my head back and gaped up at him while shock
and fury pulsed through my veins. Twisting my wrists from his
grip, I slapped my hands on my hips. “I’ve been simmering all
day.”
“I know. I’ve smelled the sweet heat of your succulent cunt
since this morning.”
“Then what are you waiting for?”
“You’ll see.” His cryptic reply sent my frustration soaring
higher, until he kissed me again—so soft and slow—and
magically smoothed the edges of my prickly demand.
We snuggled into bed and I managed to fall asleep while
Ross massaged my scalp and stroked my arm. I was lost in
some forgotten dream when he woke me with hungry kisses
and an eager, prodding erection.
Finally, he’s ready to put my fire out.
At least I’d hoped that until he pulled away with a playful
tug of my lip.
“I’ll pull on my jeans and gather up some blankets while
you toss on a nightgown and grab the pillows.”
“For what?”
“You’ll see.” The wicked gleam in his eyes told me he was
planning something fun, so I didn’t bother to argue.
Quiet as a couple of church mice, we snuck out of the
guesthouse, and back up the trail.
The stars twinkled like diamonds and the wet dew tickled
my bare feet. When we reached the flat rock, Ross spread out
the blankets and pillows on the lush, grassy ground. Then he
peeled my nightgown off over my head. After tossing it onto
the rock, he lifted me into his strong arms, then slanted his
warm, loving lips to mine. Long minutes later, need was
blazing again low in my belly when he eased me onto the soft
bed of covers.
Lips still tingling, I lifted onto an elbow and watched him
strip off his tee and jeans in the shimmering moonlight. Ross’s
sun-kissed flesh rippled and glowed, sending sparks zipping
up my spine. He tossed his clothes alongside mine, then knelt
between my knees. Prowling up my body, like a sleek, sexy
lion, Ross cupped my breasts and captured my lips in a sinful,
toe-curling kiss. He dragged the pads of his thumbs over each
aching crest, swallowing my soft moans as I arched my back,
brazenly begging for more.
As Ross hovered over me, his big body blanketed me in
heat while his masterful fingers, mouth, and tongue set me
ablaze. Delicious flames licked up my spine, and as he
murmured sinful, erotic words in my ear, I clung to the silky
threads of euphoria. Ever so slowly, Ross pressed his wide
crest between my quivering folds, filling and stretching me
with inch after inch of his glorious, thick shaft.
 The moon and Ross’s half-lidded eyes caressed my face as
our bodies, cradled in the palm of the mountain—my keeper of
secrets, dreams, and desires—surged together. He played my
body like a symphony while the thick grass and rich soil
beneath us provided the perfect harmony.
I could feel the mountain weaving its magical powers
through me with each powerful thrust and draw of Ross’s
shaft. Fused together in a coiling fire of ecstasy, he drank
down my screams of rapture as we shattered together, over and
over, in beautiful, breathless crescendos of soul-stealing
nirvana.
The night sky began to turn a muted charcoal gray. Ross
stood and slid on his jeans. Grabbing his tee and my gown, he
bent and gathered me—blankets, pillows, and all—into his
thick arms, then carried me down the trail to the guesthouse.
Sated, spent, and exhausted, we slept through breakfast
and nearly missed lunch.
Later that afternoon, while I was helping Celeste dip
candles, Jeb handed Ross an ax, then the two of them began
chopping wood. It wasn’t long before Ross’s logs were falling
as neatly and cleanly as Jeb’s. Unable to take my eyes off the
big drummer, I watched him wipe his brow with the back of
his arm as sweat poured down his face. Seconds later, he
peeled off his shirt and my heart fluttered. The corded muscles
of his arms and shoulders bunched, bulged, and strained from
exertion. Enthralled with the rivulets of well-earned sweat
sliding down his bronze skin, my mouth watered to lick the
salty beads from his flesh. A familiar, incessant ache bloomed
between my legs.
“You’re going to burn your fingers in the hot wax if you
keep watching him instead of what you’re doing,” Celeste
teased.
Blinking from my fugue, I sent her a grin. “I can’t help it.”
“I can see why.” She winked.
When the chopping was done, Ross gave me a sweaty kiss
and headed to the guesthouse. I ached to leave Celeste to the
candles and join him in the shower but managed to stay and
get my job done.
When dinner was finished and the moon crested over the
trees, we sat with the others around the bonfire again, passing
jugs of mead. Jeb played his banjo and Ross used a couple of
sticks to drum on the hollow log beside him. Dad pulled out
his harmonica and gave me a wink, then leaned over and
whispered something to Jeb.
“We’ve missed your pretty voice, baby girl.” Dad grinned.
“Sing for us.”
My face caught fire. Embarrassment surged through me
and I frantically shook my head. Beside me, Ross cupped my
chin and held me prisoner with a loving gaze.
“Sing for me, princess.” He smiled. “I did hear you that
night in New York.”
“Y-you did?” My cheeks grew even hotter.
“Yes. Sing for me, Harmony. Please, sing for me here…on
your mountain.”
Ross could have asked me to walk through the flames and
I wouldn’t have been able to refuse him. But I struggled to
tamp down the anxiety climbing through me. The man was a
professional musician. He had a rough, sensual voice that
never failed to make my skin tingle. He had hundreds of
thousands of fans all over the world. I was nothing but a
mountain girl who’d been blessed by the goddesses enough to
carry a tune.
Maybe in the end, that’s all that mattered.
As Jeb and Dad began playing my favorite Kentucky tune,
I sucked in a deep breath and began singing to Ross. The
melody spilled from my lips and everyone around the fire
vanished. In my mind, we were the only two people in the
whole wide world. But then, I’d often felt that way since
meeting him.
Pride and happiness glowed on his face, erasing my
embarrassment and bolstering my courage. As I sang my way
to the chorus, Ross joined in with me. His deep, sexy voice
sent a shiver quaking through me. He just smiled and winked,
then plucked me onto his lap, where we finished the song.
“You have an amazing voice, my love.”
“Thank you,” I murmured softly.
“I have no doubt that we’ll be making beautiful music
together…forever.”
Forever? My heart soared. I wanted to race to the top of
the mountain and shout out for the whole world to hear that
Ross Walker loved me…forever.
Instead, I melted against his chest as he kissed me hard and
swallowed my blissful sigh.
“All right, you two lovebirds, knock it off,” Dad cajoled.
“We’ve got more songs to sing.”
And sing we did, for several more hours. It was late when
Ross lifted me into his arms and stood. After bidding our good
nights, he carried me to the guesthouse. The wicked gleam in
his eyes told me neither of us was going to get much sleep
tonight.
He peeled off my clothes, skimming kisses over every inch
of skin he exposed, before tumbling me into bed. We made
sweet, passionate love all night until the sky began to lighten.
I was just drifting off to sleep when Ross lifted me out of
the bed. “Get dressed, princess. I have a surprise for you.”
“Later,” I moaned. “I’m tired. You wore me out.”
“I’ll let you sleep after we visit your rock.”
“You turned my legs to jelly. I can’t walk, especially not
all the way up the mountain.”
“Then I’ll carry you.” He grinned as he brushed the hair
from my face and helped me dress.
“Leave them,” Ross instructed as I reached for the blankets
and pillows. “You wore me out, too.”
“Then what are we going up the mountain—”
“You’ll see.” A mischievous glint flashed in his eyes.
 As he promised, Ross lifted me into his arms and carried
me up the path. When we reached the top, he set me down on
the rock and took my hand. The grass shimmered with dew in
the breaking dawn as the sun, cresting the horizon, illuminated
the sky in hues of pink and purple. Rows of tall green pine,
maples, oak, and dogwoods lined the jagged hills and valleys.
Each peak was brushed in gradient shades of azure fog.
“Jesus, this is exactly how it looked in my dream,” Ross
marveled for the second time.
Grudgingly peeling his eyes off the stunning sunrise, he
cupped my chin and brushed a feather-soft kiss over my lips.
As he eased back, he knelt down on a knee beside me.
“You’re going to get your jeans wet. Here, let me scoot—”
“No. Stay put. I’m fine.”
“Okay, but there’s room for both of us on the rock to watch
the sunrise.”
“I know. We’re not here to watch the sunrise, princess.”
“We’re not?”
Ross shook his head. “I brought you here for a couple of
reasons. First, to thank you for teaching me how to live again.”
The anxiety pouring off him sent tendrils of unease
winding through me. Had he changed his mind about forever?
“You don’t have to thank me. I was glad I could help.”
Unsure what was happening between us, I opened myself
up and tried to read his feelings. But when I was met with his
formidable walls again, my heart instantly sank. Fears of him
leaving me here instead of joining him on the tour…of him
deciding he wasn’t ready to give his heart to a mountain
woman sent tears stinging the backs of my eyes.
“Me, too. I need you to know that while you might not
have saved the world, you did save me. But more importantly,
along the way, you stole my heart.”
A flutter of relief skipped through me. “You stole mine,
too.”
 “I’m glad.” He sent me a shaky smile and swallowed
tightly. “I love you. Love you more than I ever knew was
possible.”
“I love…” My words died off as Ross raised his hand and
offered me the blue velvet box nestled in his palm.
My eyes grew wide.
My mouth dropped open.
My heart drummed in my chest and thundered in my ears.
And the air in my lungs seized as an even bigger wave of
anxiety surged off Ross.
Studying my reaction intently, he licked his lips and drew
in a shaky breath. “You’ve rocked the foundation out from
under me, princess. Rocked me so thoroughly, so fast, I don’t
want to spend another second of my life without you.”
Lifting the lid on the box, Ross cupped my trembling hand
and placed it in my palm. Tears of joy and shock blurred my
view of the massive sparkling diamond.
“Harmony Sharp, will you marry me?”
“Yes. Yes. Oh, god, yes,” I choked.
He let out a massive sigh of relief as I clutched the box,
dropped down to the wet grass beside him, and wrapped my
arms around his neck. He clutched me like a lifeline. Holding
on to him tightly, I sobbed like a baby.
The sun crested the top of the ridge, warming my skin as
Ross sipped my happy tears.
He eased back and lifted the stunning ring from its box,
sending a rainbow of prisms dancing over the rock as it
meshed with the brilliant bright rays.
Love, pure and true, shimmered in his eyes and poured off
his big, beautiful unbroken heart as he slid the ring onto my
finger and whispered, “Forever, princess.”
“Forever,” I sighed blissfully.
 Cupping his cheeks, I pressed my lips to his, pouring every
ounce of love, happiness, and promise blazing within me deep
into his soul. I might have rocked the foundation out from
under him in a short amount of time, but Ross had rocked
mine even faster.
 THANK YOU

I hope you enjoyed Harmony peeling back Ross’s layers and

the way she worked her special magic on his scared heart. But
it’s going to take a lot more than magic for—resident smart-
ass and bass player—Syd Wilson’s long-lost friend, Caris
Burton to pierce his defenses and unlock his horrific past.
I charm the fans with my wicked bass,
but no one charms my heart…
until she tries to save me.
ROCK ME DEEPER
Licks of Leather, Book 5
 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

USA Today Bestselling author Jenna Jacob paints a canvas of passion, romance,
and humor as her alpha men and the feisty women who love them unravel their
souls, heal their scars, and find a happy-ever-after kind of love. Heart-tugging,
captivating, and steamy, her words will leave you breathless and craving more.
A mom of four grown children, Jenna, her husband Sean and their furry babies
reside in Kansas. Though she spent over thirty years in accounting, Jenna isn’t your
typical bean counter. She’s brassy, sassy, and loves to laugh, but is humbly thrilled
to be living her dream as a full-time author. When she’s not slamming coffee while
pounding out emotional stories, you can find her reading, listening to music,
cooking, camping, or enjoying the open road on the back of a Harley.
 ALSO BY JENNA JACOB
Licks of Leather
Rock Me Longer
Rock Me Harder
Rock Me Slower
The Doms of Genesis Series
Embracing My Submission
Masters of My Desire
Master of My Mind
Saving My Submission
Seduced By My Doms
Lured By My Master
Sin City Submission
Bound To My Surrender
Resisting My Submission
Craving His Command
Seeking My Destiny
Hotties of Haven Series
Sin On A Stick
Wet Dream
Beefcake
Revenge On The Rocks
The Passionate Hearts Series
Sky Of Dreams
Winds Of Desire
The Doms of Her Life – Raine Falling Series
(Co-authored with Shayla Black and Isabella LaPearl)
One Dom To Love
The Young and The Submissive
The Bold and The Dominant
The Edge Of Dominance
The Doms of Her Life – Heavenly Rising
(Co-authored with Shayla Black and Isabella LaPearl)
The Choice
The Chase
The Commitment