Page 43 of Indescribable Love
“I know.”
“I was curious,” she admitted somberly, “but I respected your wishes, even though it was hard.” She paused. “Wait…that’s not true. There were times I did want to push, but…I couldn’t make myself do it.”
Her admission made him grin. “I appreciate you telling me that.”
She studied him for a long moment. “It’s funny, though. I mean, we both suffered trauma and yet…you went in the complete opposite direction. You have this positive and happy outlook on life, whereas I’m the total opposite. I’m reserved and don’t trust anyone. Hell, I didn’t trust you! I thought that cheery persona was total bullshit, like it was all part of the act that Simon Bennett the singer put on.”
“I’d like to say that it is, but…you can ask my brothers. This is seriously who I am. Maybe part of it is a protective mechanism, but I’d much rather be happy all the time than dwell on the past and be resentful.”
“I’m not resentful,” she quickly argued.
Leaning up, he silenced her with a quick kiss. “That wasn’t what I was saying. For me, those were the options—I could either be happy and thankful for this talent that I was blessed with, or I could dwell on the fact that my father didn’t love me and spent most of my life trying to keep me down. But…what good would that do? At the end of the day, I don’t have to deal with him.”
“What happens when he shows up? What do you do?”
“I never see him,” he admitted. “I refuse to give him the satisfaction of seeing my face or opening the door to more taunting. We have a plan in place. There’s always security with me when I’m on the road, and if he shows up, security goes to Nikki first. There’s always a check waiting. It’s never as much as he asks for, but I know he goes to Jax next to get more.”
“How did you find out about that?”
“Jax let it slip one night a couple of months back. We were all together with Noah having a guys' night out, and I overheard him and Noah talking about it. At first I was pissed, but…there’s nothing else we can do. Personally, I’m afraid if I don’t give him anything that he’ll go to the press and do something embarrassing, so I do my best to placate him until the next time he shows up. It shames me to admit how much I long for the day when he stops showing up altogether.”
“I don’t think anyone would blame you for feeling that. I know I don’t.”
He smiled weakly. “Thank you.” The yawn was out before he could stop it. “Sorry.”
But she yawned too before settling back in his arms. “Well this certainly wasn’t how I hoped this night would end,” she said, and he could tell she was trying to lighten the mood.
“How were you hoping the night would end?”
“Hmm…a lot like it began.” Slowly, she maneuvered so she was stretched out on top of him, and Simon’s hands immediately reached down to cup her bottom. “I imagined we’d make love until neither of us could move or keep our eyes open.” Lowering her head, she nipped at his jaw and then his earlobe.
Humming with appreciation, his hands smoothed up and down her back. “Go on…”
“We’d be all naked and sweaty, the sheets a tangled mess around us, and at some point, we’d wake up and do it again,” she said with a soft little moan as she began to writhe seductively against him. “We’d repeat that pattern until the sun came up.”
“I really like the sound of that…”
“Do you?” she purred, moving down his body and teasing his nipple with her tongue.
He was panting with need for her. “I do, Juliette. I really, really do…”
“And you know what the absolute best part would be?” she asked before twirling her tongue around his nipple again.
He shook his head. “No…tell me…”
“You’d get up and make us waffles and serve them to me in bed.” Lifting her head, she gave him an impish grin. It took Simon a moment to realize she was joking with him and it was the cutest thing she’d ever done.
And because of that, he readily agreed. “You got it.”
Then he reversed their positions and loved her just as she wanted—until they were exhausted and sweaty, and couldn’t keep their eyes open.
And in the morning, the waffles were actually pancakes, but neither seemed to care.
Chapter Nine
For ten days, they lived in the most amazing bubble. They’d left their mountaintop paradise—and Juliette let Simon drive her rental car down the scary road so she could keep her eyes closed—and from there, it was a bit of a whirlwind. Although Simon had previously mentioned going to see his family during this part of the break, he decided he’d rather take her to some of his favorite places so they could keep enjoying this private time together before the tour resumed.
First, they spent a few days in Nashville, then went on to Key West where they had a private villa right on the beach for three nights, then to New York for one night so she could check on her place and refresh her wardrobe, before they went to Simon’s place in the Hollywood Hills.