“Lie down, beautiful.”

I fall back long ways across the bed and watch him walk around to the other side of the bed. Grabbing my shoulders, he pulls me until my head is at the edge of the bed. Bending over me, he moves his hands over my body, caressing my breasts, dipping down to my waist. He kneels on the bed, legs spread above me. Grasping and spreading my thighs, he lowers his face between my legs.

Lips on lips. Wet on wet.

Bending my neck backward, I take his cock into my mouth. I grasp his hips, pushing and pulling him in sync with his thrusts. He spreads my thighs wider, fucks me with his tongue and two fingers. My legs vice around his head. His hair is like cool silk against my sensitive skin.

His erotic growls vibrate against my lips. He moves us until my head hangs off the bed, and his shaft sinks deeper; pushing against my throat. I gag on his width and he eases his thrusts, softens and slows his tongue, lets me do the same. I surrender to the lust and take more, sucking harder. His mouth is pure magic on my pussy, sending me into that frenzied euphoric place that feels like heaven. I try to hold back, not wanting the ecstasy to end. It’s impossible. He plays my body like he plays his guitar. Expertly. Effortlessly.

My thighs tremble. I shudder against his mouth, whimper and moan around his throbbing cock. His moans soon echo mine. I swallow his hot spurts and rake my nails down his thighs.

He separates from me and turns his body around. Our mouths are wet and hot when he kisses me and moves between my thighs, filling me with his still-hard cock.

Leaning up, he stares down into my face, brushing stray hairs from my damp forehead. “I love you, Ladybug,” he whispers. “This time is forever. I promise.”

I slide the curve of my foot up and down his leg. “Blue… don’t make promise—”

His lips linger on mine. “I promise. The only thing in my life that I’ve ever known for sure, the only thing that’s always with me, even when I’m fucked up, is that I love you and you love me. I need you to believe in us.”

“I do. I always have.”

I’ve heard his promises before, but this time is different. This time, the emotion in his voice, the shimmer in his dark ocean eyes, prove that he believes his words.

I’m just not sure either of us can trust him.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

“Of course Lyric can stay with us for a week,” my mother says, not looking up from the crossword puzzle she’s doing. “Where did you say you were going? It’s a business trip?”

“No, Mom, it’s not for work. I told you I’m going to Seattle to spend time with Blue.”

“Who?”

I press my finger against the dull throbbing in my temple.

“Blue. Lyric’s father.”

She lays the crossword book in her lap, takes her reading glasses off, and stares at me.

“Oh. Well. When did all this happen?”

“It’s a little complicated. We started talking a few months ago and he’s come to visit us a few times. Lyric loves him. He’s great with her.”

“Suddenly that loser decided he wants to be a father?”

I thought my dad was asleep in his recliner across the room, but apparently he’s been just sitting there with his eyes closed listening to us.

I lean back into the squishy couch cushions and cross my arms. “He’s not a loser, Dad.”

“If he’s such a great father now, why isn’t your daughter going with you?”

“He wants her to. I thought it would be best if I visited him alone first, to see how things go, see where he lives. It’s still very new so I’m being cautious.”

“Honey, are you involved with him? We were under the impression all that ended years ago.”

All that. Is that what we were?

“We’re trying to figure it out, Mom. Right now we’re taking things one day at a time.”

My father scoffs. “Figuring what out? How he can use you?”

“Use me for what, exactly?” If he brings up the milking the cow scenario again I’m going to walk right the heck out of here.

“Who the hell knows? But you’re going to just let him do it, whatever it is.”

“There’s nothing he could use me for. I don’t have anything. His band has a double platinum album. He’s got a ton of money now. He’s very good-looking. He could probably have any woman he wants.”

“Then what’s he doing with you, Piper? If he’s living the life of a celebrity what does he want with a single mother living in a small town in New Hampshire?

“He loves me. Is that so inconceivable?”

“Actually, it is. If he loves you so much he would have been in your life long before this. And he probably is getting any woman he wants. Why wouldn’t he? Some men just like women they can treat like toys and throw away, Piper. Especially ones that fall at their feet and keep taking them back. That’s not love.”