Page 164 of Composed
“Get your mind out of the gutter, woman.” He clicks his tongue. “I was going to say my heart.”
“No you weren’t.”
His grin is nothing less than cheeky as he climbs over me. “No, I definitely wasn’t.”
He eases the guitar from my grip and slides it across the floor, before rolling onto his back and tugging me into his side.
I dance my fingers over his slick skin. My eyes flutter closed as the soft beat of his heart soothes me, and the warm air curls around us.
His lips linger on my forehead, and I kiss his chest.
“You realise we need to talk about things, right?” I whisper.
“Yes, and we will,” he says, a hand sliding into my hair. “But we’ve got all the time in the world to talk abouteverything. Let’s just play hooky a little while longer.”
Chapter fifty-one
Cole • Now
Dear Maria (Count Me In) – All Time Low
Hendrixspinsinthechair, my ball cap twisted backwards on her head, my hoodie hanging off her long frame, and the teeniest fucking black shorts I’ve ever seen clinging to her arse.
Turns out, when she isn’t trying to hide secret ink, she loves showing off those long, tattoo-sleeved legs of hers.
I shift on the couch and down my icy water in one. Not that it does anything to ease the heat swirling through my veins.
I close my eyes, only to snap them open as the reminder of all the ways Hendrix and I christened this room last night races through my mind.
I’d be more than happy to live in the memory, if not for the fact that everyone and their fucking nan is crammed into the live room right now.
I wrestle my gaze away from Hendrix’s legs and force myself to focus on Riley.
She sits cross-legged on the floor, rolling a squishy ball between her palms. Her nose wrinkles, lips twist, and eyes crease as Hendrix cranks the volume, sending a cracked, distorted lick vibrating through the speakers.
Any doubts I had about Riley being anything less than impartial disappear.
“I’m not feeling confident, right now,” Hendrix says. “That is not the reaction one would hope for.”
I grin. “Bet you wish we’d gone with Carter now.”
“Not even a little.” She smirks, but her gaze flickers to the door, eyes dimming.
Even though she hasn’t said anything, I know she’s reeling over the fact he practically ran out the room when we finished recording the songs this morning.
I know he’s just taking a minute to figure it out, but if he could move quicker, that would be great.
Riley shudders as a static riff vibrates the speakers.
Hendrix chuckles. “My ego is really taking a blow right now.”
“Who knew you were so needy, Rix.” Saint reaches out and tugs her hair.
She hisses and swats him away. “Piss off.”
He pinches her thigh. She scowls.
He tugs her hair again, and she launches herself off the swivel chair, tackling him sideways on the couch.
