Come Away With Me

  “Damn, you’re good at that, baby.” His voice is still thick with sleep, his body warm and completely at my mercy.

  Sexy as fuck.

  “I can feel your heartbeat right here,” I say and rub my fingertips over the thick vein on the under side of his dick. “It’s moving a little fast.”

  “I’m sure it is.”

  “Why is that?” I suck on the head and jerk him with my hand as I wait for his answer.

  “Because the sexiest woman alive is sucking me off,” he replies with a growl and pushes his hips off the bed. “Jesus fucking Christ, M, your lips should come with a warning label.”

  I laugh and lick down his shaft to his heavy balls and lick them both, then lick each one in turn while slipping my finger over that super sensitive spot right beneath them.

  “You’re going to make me fucking come.”

  “I think that’s the point,” I say and smile smugly as his legs begin to move restlessly and his hands clench in the sheets at his hips. “Like this, do you?”

  “Just a bit,” he says through gritted teeth. I lick up the shaft and suck on the tip again, knowing he’s close as I pump my fist over him and feel his entire body clench. His balls tighten and lift and suddenly he’s coming in my mouth. I swallow quickly and watch his face as he pants and combs his fingers through my hair.

  “Best way to wake up ever,” he says and laughs as he collapses back on the bed.

  “That was fun,” I say and kiss my way up his body and lie on top of him. “Good morning, handsome.”

  He kisses my forehead and wraps those amazing arms around me, holding me tightly to his chest.

  “When do we have to leave?” he whispers.

  “In about thirty minutes,” I say. “Are you sure you don’t want to come with us?”

  “I think that’s the fourth time you’ve asked me that since Friday night,” he says as his fingertips glide up and down my bare back. His heartbeat is beginning to return to normal beneath my cheek.

  “I know. I’d kind of like having you there.”

  “I have to work too. It’s only a few days.” He rolls us on our sides so he can see my face. “I’ll pick you up from the airport on Wednesday.”

  I nod and cup his face in my palm. “I’ll call you whenever I can.”

  “Do your work, enjoy Starla and Jax for a couple days, then come back home to me.”

  I smile widely and lean in to kiss him. I know he’s nervous about me leaving. I’ve felt it from him every time we’ve made love this weekend, in moments when I’ve caught him watching me quietly. I don’t know how to assure him that there is nothing to worry about.

  “Want me to bring you back something?” I grin and sit up, letting the sheet pool in my lap and scrub my hands over my face. “A T-shirt? Coffee mug? Post card?”

  “Just my woman, thanks,” he says as he climbs from the bed and walks naked to the bathroom. Good God it’s not a hardship to watch him walk away in the least. That ass is just… delicious.

  I could bounce a quarter off that ass.

  I blink when I hear the toilet flush and then feel my face heat when he walks back in the room.

  “What were you thinking?”

  “That I could bounce a quarter off your ass.”

  “I thought you liked my arms?”

  “Your ass isn’t half-bad either.” I shrug and climb from the bed, searching for my clothes, avoiding eye contact. For God’s sake, I had the man’s penis in my mouth ten minutes ago, but telling him that I think he has a nice ass makes me shy?

  What the fuck?

  “Come here.” It’s not a request. I drop the shirt and leggings I plan to wear on the plane to the bed and cross to him. He loops his arms around me and hugs me tight, gently rocking back and forth and plants his lips on my head. He takes a deep breath when I press my palms to his back and hold on tight.

  “I like looking at you,” I whisper.

  “Good. I like looking at you too.” He chuckles and kisses my hair then rubs my back soothingly. “Is Jax here?”

  “I don’t know. I never heard him come home.” I cross to the bed and check my phone. “There aren’t any messages from him.”

  Mark and I have just finished pulling on our clothes when I hear the front door burst open.

  “My bags are ready!” Jax calls out on his way past my bedroom to his.

  “He’s home now,” I say and laugh as I jog out into the hallway. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah. Logan and I… uh… overslept.”

  “Right.”

  “Shut up.”

  “I like him.” I lean my shoulder on his doorjam and cross my arms over my chest as he gathers his toiletries and throws them in a bag. “He’s nice. And he’s hot.”

  “I heard that!” Mark calls from my bedroom, making me laugh.

  “He’s not as hot as you!” I call back.

  “We’re gonna be late,” Jax mumbles and stops in the middle of the room, looking stressed and rushed, with his hair standing on end, stubble still on his cheeks and the clothes that I’m sure he was wearing yesterday.

  “No we’re not. You have time to at least change your clothes. You’re in a relationship with the man, Jax, no need to be doing the whole walk of shame thing.”

  “I’ll shower and change when we get to the hotel.”

  I roll my eyes and walk back to my room. “Thank God it’s only a two hour flight!”

  “I don’t smell!” I hear him loudly sniff his armpit and then mumble under his breath about finding a clean T-shirt.

  Mark is sitting on the edge of my bed checking his phone. He’s also wearing the same clothes from yesterday.

  “Looks like Jax isn’t the only one doing the walk of shame today,” I say with a chuckle. “You should just bring some extra things here for when you stay with me.”

  “You should just move in with me and we won’t have this issue,” he says, still staring down at his phone.

  “I’ll make room for you in my closet,” I reply without acknowledging his suggestion because frankly, I don’t know how in the hell to respond to that.

  “I’ll make room for you in my closet,” he says, still typing furiously on his phone.

  “I’m ready!” Jax says as he hustles past my room, then backtracks and pokes his head around the doorjam. “Hello? Flight? LA? Job? Are you coming?”

  “Yes. Ready, babe?”

  “I’m ready.”

  The drive to the airport is quiet as all three of us are lost in our own thoughts. It’s early enough that traffic isn’t too thick yet and we make it to the airport with plenty of time.

  “You don’t have to pay to park, M. Just pull up at the drop off area.”

  “I’ll go in with you,” he says.

  “It’s a waste of money,” I insist, but he takes my hand in his and kisses my knuckles gently, making me go all gooey inside.

  “No it’s not. I’m not going to be able to touch you for more than forty-eight hours, Meredith. I’ll take every minute I can now.”

  “Damn, you have it bad, man,” Jax says with a laugh from the back seat earning a grin from Mark.

  “And you don’t?” Mark challenges him.

  Jax shrugs. “I said all my mushy stuff in private this morning.”

  “Aww, you’re mushy?” I squeal and bounce in my seat. “I’ve never seen you be mushy before.”

  “And you won’t see it now,” he replies dryly. Mark parks the Jeep and the guys pull our suitcases out of the back and pull them behind us as we walk into the terminal.

  We print our boarding passes, check our bags, and Jax shakes Mark’s hand. “Thanks for the ride, man. I’ll meet you at the gate, tootsie roll. I don’t want to witness any more of the mush.” He winks and walks away, leaving Mark and me alone.

  “I’ll text you when we get in.”

  “Good. I’ll worry.” He links our fingers on both hands and loops them around my back then leans in and kisses me, not giving a shit who might be watc
hing. Finally he releases one of my hands and cups my neck, his thumb making little circles on my cheek as his lips nibble and make me forget where I am.

  With one kiss, he can completely disarm me.

  “Be safe,” he whispers against my lips.

  “You too,” I reply and brush my fingers through his hair. “I’ll see you soon.”

  He nods and frowns slightly, but then smiles widely, in that naughty way and winks down at me. “I love you, Meredith Agatha.”

  “I love you too. But Jax is gonna die.”

  ***

  “Christ on a cracker, Jax, you’re trying to fucking kill me.” Starla growls before guzzling half a water bottle. I raise my brows at Jax and plant my hands on my hips.

  “I told you.”

  He glares at me and shakes his head. “Trust me, you’ll get it.”

  “Oh, I’ll get it alright,” she agrees. “But it doesn’t change the fact that you’re a sadistic asshole.”

  “I’ve missed you,” I say and wrap my arms around Starla’s shoulders. “I love that you can tell Jax he’s an asshole.”

  “You tell me I’m an asshole all the time,” he reminds me.

  “I’ve missed you guys too. This routine is stellar. Seriously perfect for the song. Thank you for doing this.”

  “It’s all him.” I point to Jax and wink at him. “I’m just his puppet.”

  “You’re a gorgeous puppet,” she says. “I want you guys to come back to my place tonight for dinner and to chat. It’s been too long.”

  “I’m up for that,” I reply. “Thank you!”

  Jax nods and then turns at the sound of his name. Brian Kellogg, the dancer who will be dancing Jax’s part in the routine just came in from taking a phone call.

  “Let’s get back to it,” Starla says.

  ***

  “God, I’m exhausted,” Starla says and exhales deeply. We’re settled in her family room, sprawled over couches and chaise lounges, stuffed with fresh fish and salad.

  “You worked hard today, baby,” her fiancé, Rick, murmurs and kisses her temple. Rick is great. He’s not in the music business at all. He’s a racecar driver, of all things, and they met at a charity function about two years ago. He’s tall and thin and all tattooed up, even on his neck.

  He looks like he could be a rocker.

  “How do you know? You weren’t there.”

  “You always work hard.”

  “You guys are too cute,” I say and smile at them. “How are the wedding plans coming?”

  “I hired a girl,” Starla replies and rolls her blue eyes. Starla is stunning, with chin-length platinum blond hair, smooth white skin and her signature bright red lips. She’s in fantastic shape. She always danced just as hard as the rest of us. Starla isn’t just a singer, she’s one of the top entertainers in the world, and she works her ass off. “I like her ideas and she’s great about checking in with me on stuff, so it’s working for us.”

  “Good.”

  “And you guys are coming,” she says while pointing at us.

  “We wouldn’t miss it,” Jax assures her.

  “How is Brian doing with the shows?” I ask and pick a hangnail on my right hand.

  “He’s fine. He’s a damn good dancer, but he’s no Jax.”

  “He’s a drama queen,” Rick says with a roll of the eyes.

  “Yeah, he is that,” Starla agrees. “But he’s hot and the audience loves him, so as long as he doesn’t piss me off too bad, I’ll keep him around. Until I can talk Jax into coming back, that is.”

  Jax laughs and shakes his head, but Starla isn’t laughing. She sits up straight and leans her elbows on her knees.

  “Actually, I wanted to talk to you guys about something.”

  Jax and I share a look and then watch her quietly.

  “Mer, I’m so sorry about your mama. I’m sorry I couldn’t come to the funeral. I was stuck in a blizzard in New York and couldn’t get a flight out.”

  “Oh, Star, it’s okay. Thank you for calling that day. I knew you were thinking of me.”

  She nods and then sighs. “Geez, why am I nervous?”

  “What’s up, little girl?” Jax asks. He always called her little girl because Starla is so petite.

  “I miss you guys. We toured together for so many years, you’re just a part of this whole family that we have going here. I want you to come back on tour with me next year, and choreograph the whole tour too.”

  “That would mean that I’d have to start working on that as soon as we get back to Seattle,” Jax says in surprise. Starla nods, watching us both.

  “We have a studio now, Star, with clients and kids who depend on us.” I’m shaking my head slowly as the possibilities run through my head.

  “You can hire people to take care of the studio while you’re gone,” she replies. Rick continues to watch us silently. “Think about it. I’ll give you both raises of course. And I’m now offering a benefits package too.”

  “You’re so generous,” Jax says dryly.

  “It’s tax deductible,” she says.

  Do I want to go back on tour? Never knowing what time zone I’m in, not to mention what city. The long hours on planes and buses. The grueling, constant rehearsal. Late nights. Weird sleep patterns.

  No Mark.

  No way.

  I shake my head and look Starla in the eye as I answer her honestly. “Thank you for this opportunity, Star. I’m going to pass. I’ve only got a year or two left in me before I start getting injured from the rigorous routines, and honestly, I’m happy with my life in Seattle.”

  “You met someone,” Rick guesses.

  “I’ve reconnected with someone,” I reply. “And I love him. I’m done touring. But I love that you thought enough of me to ask me back.”

  “Keep in touch,” she says. “I’ll need regular updates on how it’s going with your man.”

  “I’ll do that.”

  “I’m going to pass too,” Jax says with a sigh. “I’m happy at the studio, and I have some choreography opportunities with the university dance team as well.”

  “You met someone too, you bitch!” Starla cries and throws a pillow at him.

  “He did,” I say and clap my hands. “And he’s hot.”

  “Why did you all have to leave me and find sexy people to have sex with and not want to come back with me?” She sticks out her lower lip in a pout before burying her face in another pillow. “Moo haff me.”

  “What was that?” I ask with a laugh.

  “You hate me.”

  “We love you.” I blow her a kiss and grin widely. “But I love Mark more.”

  “Well, then, let’s get all our gossiping in now while I have your undivided attention.” She clears her throat and begins telling us stories of the band and their sexcapades and which celebrity fell backstage at the Grammys.

  I settle back in the cushions and listen, laughing, and counting the hours until I can go home to Mark.

  ***

  “Hey,” I whisper as I borough down into the covers and cup the phone to my ear.

  “Hi, sweetheart. Why are you whispering?”

  “Because it’s late and I’m tired and it seems appropriate.”

  “How was your day?” His voice sounds tired. I wish he was here, cuddled up next to me where I could smell him and feel him.

  “Busy.”

  “Tell me.”

  “Well,” I begin and turn onto my back so I can stare at the ceiling. “We checked into the hotel, which you know because I texted you. After Jax showered and we both changed, we went directly to the studio and worked with Starla and Brian until about six this evening.”

  “Who’s Brian?” he asks and then I hear him chewing something crunchy.

  “The male dancer. What are you eating?”

  “Popcorn.”

  “This late?”

  “I worked through dinner.”

  I can’t help but be sad at the thought of Mark working alone in his big house al
l evening, skipping dinner and eating only popcorn.

  “Do all women have the undeniable urge to take care of their men?” I ask aloud and bite the inside of my cheek.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I suddenly wish I was there to make sure you didn’t forget to eat dinner.”

  “I wish you were here for far more interesting things than dinner,” he says with a dry voice, making me giggle. “What else happened today?”

  “Starla invited Jax and I back to her place for dinner with her and Rick, her fiancé.”

  “Was that fun?” More chewing, and now I’m suddenly craving popcorn.

  “Yes. They’re both really cool people, and she filled us in on all of the gossip we’ve been missing out on. She wants us to come to the wedding in Paris this fall.”

  “That’ll be fun for you guys.”

  I frown and look at the phone and then press it back to my ear.

  “It’ll be fun for all of us. She invited all four of us, silly.”

  “Wow. Okay. I’m glad you’re having a good time.”

  “It’s fun, but I’m ready to come home.”

  “So, what are you wearing?”

  “You always ask me that,” I reply. “What are you wearing?”

  “Well, I took my shirt off a while ago because I was getting too warm, so no shirt and jeans.”

  “Can you see the elastic of your underwear over the top of your jeans?”

  “A little bit, yeah.”

  “Holy fuck,” I whisper. “That’s so fucking hot.”

  “Seriously?” He laughs and crunches on more popcorn. “Why do women find that hot?”

  “Don’t misunderstand. It’s not hot on everyone. But it’s hot on guys like you, who have that sexy V in their hips and defined abs.”

  “It sounds like you’ve done a lot of research on this.”

  “Oh yeah, I’m an expert,” I reply and wish again that he were with me so I could drag my fingertip down that sexy V.

  “Okay, now you tell me what you’re wearing.”

  “Nothing.”

  “Excuse me?”