Listen to Me (Fusion 1)

“Come with me today,” I say simply.

“Okay.” She smiles softly before plating a waffle and passing it to me, along with butter and syrup. “But first, we eat.”

“I’m going to eat this,” I begin, stuffing a bite in my mouth and groaning in ecstasy. Jesus, she can cook. “And then I’m going to put you in the shower, clean you up, then take you back to the bed and eat you.”

Her eyes whip up to mine. Her nipples are puckered against my shirt.

“And you didn’t ask to borrow that.”

“My bad.”

I grin. “It’s okay. I’ll take it back after breakfast.”

She grins in return, then simply pulls it over her head, folds the shirt, and passes it to me. She’s left standing there in nothing but little black panties.

Jesus fucking Christ.

“No need to wait,” she replies sweetly and takes a bite of her waffle. “It’s a soft shirt.”

“I’ve had it awhile.” God, is that my voice? I sound like an adolescent, only making her smile widen.

She sets her plate down and stretches her arms high about her head, then bends and touches her toes, giving me a prime view of that amazing body, and I can’t stand it anymore. I march around the island, put her over my shoulder, and head for her bathroom.

“What’s happening?” She’s giggling now, making me smile too.

“I know what you were doing, and it worked, sweetness. You have my undivided attention, and you’re about to have much more than that.”

“Promises, promises,” she replies, only laughing more when I slap her ass.

“We might be a little late for work.”

“SO THAT’S THE house,” I say as I lead Addie around to the back of it. “I’ll give you the grand tour later. This is better.”

“Better than the house?” she asks. “Because the house is pretty great from the outside.”

“The back is better,” I assure her, and grin when the pool comes into view. “This is what sold me on the place.”

“The pool?”

I nod. “I like to swim.”

“Makes sense,” she says with a nod. “You have a swimmer’s body.”

I grin down at her. “You love my body.”

“I said you have a swimmer’s body. There was no mention of how I feel about it.” She quirks an eyebrow.

“You can’t get enough of me,” I reply confidently, remembering how crazy I made her after our shower this morning.

So crazy we needed another shower.

I cup her face in my hands and kiss her silly, until she melts against me and grips my shirt at my hips, in that way that makes me silly.

“I still have to show you the best part,” I murmur against her lips.

“I thought the pool was the best part.”

I nuzzle her nose with mine, then back away. “Nope. It’s this.” I gesture to the guesthouse turned studio and grin. “Welcome to Knox Productions.”

“This is the studio?”

“Yep.” I lead her inside and close the door quietly behind me, in case someone is already recording, but Max and Steve are sitting at the piano, bickering.

“You decided to show up,” Max says with a frown, then his eyes brighten when he sees Addie. “Well hi there.”

“Hi,” she says calmly. There’s a music legend sitting in this room, and she’s cool as a cucumber.

Good girl.

“You’ve met Addie,” I say to Max, then hug Steve as he stands. “It’s good to see you, Steve.”

“You too, mate,” he says, his English accent thick. “Who is this magnificent woman?” he asks, his sunglass-covered gaze raking up and down her body. She’s in khaki shorts and a white button-down, tied at the waist.

Her legs go on for days.

“Steve, this is Addison. Addie, I’d like to introduce you to Steve.”

“Hello,” she replies, holding her hand out for his. “It’s a pleasure to see you again. I had the honor of meeting you a couple of years ago when my ex-boyfriend’s band, Philadelphia Story, performed at the Grammys.”

“I remember.” He lifts her hand to his mouth and kisses her knuckles, one by one, making me raise a brow. Steve’s known to be a womanizer. “You were with Craig Parker then.”

Addie nods and shifts her eyes to me uncertainly. I’ve met Craig Parker before. He’s not a bad guy.

We’ll talk about this later.

“If your voice is half as amazing as your face, you’ll be a mega-superstar, love.”

“I’m not a singer,” Addie replies with a chuckle.

“Addie owns a restaurant in Portland,” I inform him. My jaw clenches as he tucks Addie’s hand into the crook of his arm and escorts her back to the piano.

“Please tell me you’ll be here while I record today. I could use a beautiful muse.”

“Oh my goodness, Mr. Jennings.” She chuckles again and pats his shoulder. “You are absolutely charming, and it truly is an honor to see you again.” Her blue gaze catches mine for just a moment before she continues. “I grew up listening to your music. My parents are big fans.”

“I have a few talents you’d be a fan of, darling.”

Okay. He’s just taken it too far, but before I can step in, Addie laughs, pats his cheek, and says, “You’re so funny.”

“Funny?” Steve repeats as Addie crosses to me. “Times sure have changed. Used to be, a beautiful woman never would have called me funny. Charming maybe, but not funny.”