“That’s different,” he shrugs. “How am I supposed to protect the people who work for me if they don’t tell me the truth? I have photos of ex-boyfriends, abusive parents, anyone who could show up at my place of business to be a problem. It’s the best kind of being nosy.”
“I don’t intentionally dig for things,” I admit, shrugging. “I guess I have a face people trust.”
“I can see that,” he murmurs, his growly rumble of words making me shiver as he opens the door to the record shop forus. While so many other shops have closed that sell music in support of going digital, this one seems to be going strong.
Sunrise Recordsbrings happiness to my life. I’d rather play the records in my apartment on my player, because the music sounds so much better to me. It scratches the happy places in my mind. Atlas follows me as I trail up and down the new release aisle, watching as I put on headphones to listen to different albums. When I catch him smirking as I dance to a pop song, I roll my eyes and pull him closer to share my headphones.
“There’s no way you can resist dancing to this,” I tease him.
His arms wrap around my waist as he rests his chin on my shoulder, an earcup pressed to his ear as he holds me against him. It’s like having a giant hugging me, and I love it. His hips slowly roll, my body hiding him from his clear inability to keep from dancing.
“It’s definitely a bop,” he murmurs against the shell of my ear. “You have an eclectic enjoyment for music.”
“I get bored easily,” I admit. “I need to keep my brain just busy enough to be able to concentrate, and that means the music has to make me happy. What that entails is different from day to day.”
“Fascinating,” he says, burying his nose in my throat. “Did you decide on red lipstick today to keep me from kissing you?”
“I told Jude it’s my mouth chastity belt,” I whisper, knowing my voice tends to get louder when I’m listening to music.
“Ugh, you’re so much trouble, Hummingbird. Now all I can think about are those pretty red lips wrapped around my cock,” he groans. “I want to see exactly how pretty that color looks staining my shaft.”
“So do I,” I confess, putting the headphones away. “I’m going to buy my records, and then we’re going to work off this sexual aggression in the rage room.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he grumbles, watching as I begin retracing my steps to pick up my pretty prizes. “Records, huh?”
“It sounds better,” I shrug.
“I need a crash course one day in your apartment on your music. I see no clothes in our future while we roll around naked with Briar and Jude.”
“This sounds like the perfect way to spend a day. Okay, I think that’s everything.”
“It’s a haul, not a shopping trip. I love it. Do we need to drop these off at the apartment?” he asks, taking my pile of records from me.
Following him to the check out counter, I shake my head before I remember he can’t see me since he’s putting the records down for me. “That’s not necessary. They have lockers where I can stash my new pretties.”
“You’re an adorable hoarder of new treasures, Hummingbird.”
He starts to pull out his credit card, but I beat him to it, pretending to have a sword fight before sliding mine to Richard.
“She’s scarier than you are,” Richard informs Atlas, taking my card.
I mean, he’s not wrong. I preen for Atlas as his shoulders shake, thoroughly entertained by me.
Richard carefully places my records in a couple of bags, and Atlas gallantly takes them from him.
“Lead the way, Hummingbird. I’m all yours.”
Cocking my head to the side, I lock eyes on him. “Mind if I ask, why Hummingbird?”
His lips curl into a smile that has my stomach fluttering. “Because they’re beautiful, just like you,” he teases, but his tone goes softer for his next words. “And the way your mind works reminds me of how they move, quick, all over the place, neverin one spot for too long but always a beautiful sight. It’s what makes them unique.”
My heart races like a drum and I can feel the back of my eyes stinging. I do not cry! I am not a crier. But damn it, this man is making it very hard right now.
The way he makes me believe that has me blushing as we leave the store together and walk down the street to the rage room. Honestly, it’s a little overwhelming how well everyone is getting along. There haven’t been any hiccups, Briar is amazing, and I would be willing to bet money she and Jude are having a blast at home.
It’s important to recharge, and something tells me her days and nights are busy.
“Penny for your thoughts?” Atlas asks a few minutes later. We’ve paid for our session, stashed our things, put on the safety gear, and now are waiting in the hallway to go into one of the rooms.
