“Oh yeah? We should do some nineties covers, too.”
“Absolutely not.”
Ruby laughed at his immediate response. “You’re such a traditionalist, Jonathan. Such an elitist.”
“Let’s just dance.”
He had a way of softening his blunt personality with subtle, charming smiles, and close up, those smiles were devastating. When she glanced up from his lips, she noticed he was looking down the front of her gown.
“Busted,” she said. “I caught you.”
“Sorry. It’s hard to resist. You have beautiful…shoulders.”
“Thanks.”
He glanced to the side. “Jessa’s right there. Let’s kiss again.”
While she was trying to think of a flirty way to agree with his suggestion, he tipped her face back and dropped an ardent kiss on her lips. When he drew away, she could have drowned in the depth of his gaze.
“Holy shit,” she whispered.
“What?”
“You’re going to make her fall in love with you more.”
“She’s not in love with me.” He darted a look her way. “She doesn’t even know me.”
But I know you, Jonathan Gold. You’re a gorgeous, talented, bossy man who lost his virginity learning where sex and music intersect. The song ended, and they let go of each other like letting go of a spell.
“Wonder where the guys went?” he asked, scanning the chatting groups around them.
“I’m not sure, but your fangirl’s gone. She’s probably crying in the bathroom.”
“Awesome work.” He squeezed her hand before he let it go. “It was nice kissing you instead of arguing with you for once.”
“I like arguing with you. It makes our quartet better. But you’re fun to kiss too,” she added.
Fun? That wasn’t really the right word. All around them, Hollywood people drank and socialized, not realizing how crazy things were. Jonathan, the first violin and her usual nemesis, had kissed her and gotten her all riled up. Her pussy was riled up, so even if they’d vanquished Jessa, they had another problem on their hands.
Jonathan led her over to Steve and Ethan. The guys teased them some more, kissy-kissy, ooh, sexy violinists, but Jonathan only held her hand and smiled, and stood beside her in a way that broadcast ownership. Every so often, he touched her waist or her shoulder in an easy, possessive way.
Jessa left the party with one last jealous glance at Ruby, a fake smile pasted on her face to disguise her disappointment. As for Ruby, every time Jonathan touched her, her nerve endings—and her imagination—came alive, which wasn’t a good thing.
The Gold Quartet wasn’t supposed to be a hookup market. She had to remember that, especially when three of its members were so good at turning on the charm.
2.
When they were settled at the hotel, Ruby paced her room for a while, then went down the hall in a tee and pajama pants and knocked on Ethan’s door. He opened it with a smile.
“Somehow, I expected you tonight. Come in.”
“I have to warn you,” she began. “I’m not here to get busy. At least I don’t think so.” She sat on the edge of his bed and put her head in her hands. “I’m feeling confused.”
“Let me guess. Playing Jonathan’s girlfriend tonight got you going in a way you didn’t expect.”
She looked up at him. “I’ve always had a low-key fascination with Jonathan. I mean, who doesn’t? He’s a great violinist and an amazing leader. I look up to him.”
“Yeah.”
“But tonight, when he kissed me and danced with me, it started to feel way beyond fascination territory. I was having full-on arousal. I think he knew it, too.”
Ethan sat beside her and offered a comforting embrace. “I’m sure he knew it. Steve and I could see it from across the room. But that’s okay, right?”
She gawked at him. “No! It’s not okay. You and I—”
“You and I are friends with benefits.” He pulled her closer, kissing her forehead with lingering affection. “I’m not upset. I’m not jealous like Jessa. I’m happy you got turned on, because Jon’s a great guy. Honestly, I’m surprised it took this long for something to spark between you, considering how Dom he is.”
“What?”
He laughed at her shocked expression. “I know you lust for the dominance stuff. You like when I manhandle you and tie you up. Jonathan’s into that same shit, except a little more hardcore.”
A little more hardcore? Ruby stared at him. “How…how do you know this?”
“I’ve seen him out in the scene. He’s into leather bondage more than rope. He’s really into dominance and submission, you know, sexual obedience—”
“Sexual obedience,” she yelled, then clapped a hand over her mouth. “I can’t. I can’t.”
“You can’t believe it? I mean, think about it.”
Oh, she was thinking about it. All the signs were there, if she’d only noticed. The exacting way he ran the quartet, the direct looks he gave her and other people, even the authoritative way he used his hands. Or maybe she only realized the signs now because of her heightening fantasies.