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When I finally came to, he was lying on his side next to me, his hand sliding between my legs. I watched as he scooped out some of his come with one finger and then doodled something on my stomach with it. “What are you writing?”
His gaze snapped to mine, gleaming with something I couldn’t quite name. He grunted and then dropped a bruising kiss on my mouth that stole my breath, and I completely forgot my question.
***
Other than for us ceasing to use condoms, life went on as it always did over the following two weeks. I worked on my album. I spent time with Judy. I hung out with my friends. I met up with Kaiser at the Vault on weekends.
More, Judy repeatedly chewed my ass about not inviting him over for dinner. But she thankfully hadn’t played the damsel outside his house again, and I took that as a win. I was pretty sure he wouldn’t buy it a second time round.
Another thing I was thankful for was that there wasn’t a peep from Camila. It would seem that the call his publicist made to her must have had the desired effect. My own publicist was highly pleased about that.
So, on the whole, everything was going swimmingly well. Life was good. Real good.
Until it wasn’t.
Chapter Nine
Standing in front of my stainless steel fridge, I felt my eyelid twitch. “That freaking woman,” I muttered.
Judy’s newest hobby was tearing pictures out of bridal magazines—usually of dresses, but sometimes of bouquets or table set-ups—and using magnets to attach them to the doors of my fridge. Because that was totally normal.
She hadwaytoo much time on her hands.
Ignoring the fact that the white gown on this particular picture was absolutely spectacular, I pulled the magazine sheet free and scrunched it up into a ball. I didn’t confront her about it these days—she only smirked or laughed or berated me for not believing that her predictions would come true. Besides, I had an album to write.
There were times when I’d written one in the space of two days. Other times, it took a couple of weeks. Sometimes months. I never knew how long exactly it would take, so I’d get an early start each time.
At this point, I had eleven songs written—both in terms of lyrics and musical scores. For me, that was enough. But the beginnings of a twelfth were pottering around my head, and the song seemed intent on remaining incomplete for some weird reason.
Hearing my phone begin to ring, I pulled it out of my pocket.Kaiser.My pulse did that thing where it skittered in excitement like an idiot. You’d think that his effect on me would have lessened by now, but it seemed like my body was set to always ignite around him.
I swiped my finger over the screen of my phone. “Happy Friday, neighbor,” I chirped, admittedly finding an unhealthy joy in messing with him by being bubbly and cheery.
He let out one of his trademark irritated grunts.
My lips twitching, I dumped the scrunched up magazine page in the trash can. It was really a good thing that Kaiser didn’t visit or there was a chance he’d have come across one of Judy’s torn-out pictures.
“I’m not going to be able to pick you up at the usual time tonight,” he said.
My brows dipped. “Everything okay?”
“Things are taking longer at the recording studio than I thought.”
I hadn’t known he was spending time at a studio, but I supposed it wasn’t surprising. He’d already mentioned that he’d be writing his next album during his current break. “We can cancel if you’re super busy,” I offered, though I hoped he’d decline.
“Not necessary,” he told me. “I just need a little extra time, so I’ll pick you up at eight.”
“Okay, no worries.” Once upon a time, he’d have notified me of all this by text. But he called more often than he texted me these days. I couldn’t lie, I liked it. “Do you need me to call up the Vault and cancel our table at the lounge?”
Loud barks split the air, coming from my grandmother’s wing. Barks that went on and on. Which wasn’t at all normal.
“I’m sorry, what?” I asked, not having properly registered Kaiser’s response.
“I said I’ll do it as soon as I get off the phone from you,” he told me. “I wanted to give you a heads-up first.”
“Appreciate it,” I said distractedly, making my way toward Judy’s wing as the frantic barking continued. “I’ll see you later.”
“What’s up with the dogs?”
