Three
Presley was fairly certain she was having an out-of-body experience.
Or maybe the elevator had plummeted several stories and she’d died and gone to heaven. Considering how amazing Cash’s mouth felt on hers, she couldn’t dismiss the possibility outright.
She’d shut her eyes, so the rest of her senses were on high alert. She moved her hands to his biceps, brushing her thumbs over solid muscle beneath smooth flesh. His mouth was firm and warm, and when his tongue touched hers, she lost the strength in her knees.
He must have noticed because next he steadied her with his hands. Oh, those talented hands. How had she forgotten? They were talented at strumming a guitar and really talented at turning her on. His lips still on hers, his fingers tightened around her waist and he tugged her close. Her breasts flattened on his chest, but when she lifted her arms to capture his neck, she lost his mouth.
His gaze was hazy, almost shell-shocked, as he sucked in a gulp of air. She did the same, unable to tear her eyes from the perfect vision of Cash up close. Dark scruff surrounded his luscious mouth, his lips damp from their kisses. Long eyelashes shadowed golden-brown eyes that appeared darker in the meager light.
He broke the spell by swearing. Loudly.
Setting her body aside, he went to the panel on the elevator, pressed a button, spoke to the crackling voice and then pressed another button.
Her heartbeat sloshed noisily in her ears as she descended to earth, still tingling from the kiss she hadn’t even tried to stop. Which made no sense, as she was completely over him. Completely, she silently reminded herself.
The elevator started with a jerk and she gripped the rack of glasses to steady herself, her knees still weak.
You know, from making out with him.
Cash faced the doors for the remainder of the short ride. He sent her a dark look over his shoulder when the elevator opened on the rooftop. His last words to her were “Gavin, really?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” she mumbled. To herself, since he was no longer anywhere around. She stepped into the bar, angry, but mostly with herself. Yes, he’d kissed her first, but she’d kissed him back.
On her long list of “things to do” while visiting Beaumont Bay, kissing her ex wasn’t on it. She’d once been weak for him. She couldn’t let herself be that weak again.
She understood why Gavin had suggested not telling Cash about the interview ahead of time. Cash definitely hadn’t been happy to see her.
The kiss hadn’t been an “I want you” or an “I missed you.” No, it’d been about something else. For her, an unwelcome visit from her past. For Cash, who was moving damn fast in black cowboy boots, the kiss had acted like a release valve on a pressurized container.
The posh, luxe bar was half indoors, half out. Shining wood floors stretched through the interior, couches and chairs surrounding low tables with lit candles. The bar was more like a really large living room. Outside, the patio’s high glass walls offered a view of the city buildings and lake and trees beyond. Golden hour was upon them, bathing the stage where Cash would perform tonight in a warm, buttery light.
She walked in that direction, but a beefy security guy held up one massive mitt. “I don’t think so, lady.”
She opened her mouth to shout Cash’s name. He had some explaining to do. Namely, why he’d kissed her and run away. Before she could, Gavin Sutherland materialized in front of her.
“It’s okay, Irv, she’s with us.” Gavin’s warm smile was a welcome sight. “Welcome to the Cheshire bar. How are you, Pres?”
What a question.
“Late.” She adjusted the bag on her shoulder.
“Nah, you’re fine. You took my advice about the service elevator, I assume?”
“Yeah.” That’d been a bang-up plan, hadn’t it?
Two years ago, when she’d visited Beaumont Bay for the Elite Records interview, she hadn’t known what to expect. She knew she wouldn’t run into Cash since he’d been on tour and was somewhere on the East Coast—North Carolina if she remembered right. But she hadn’t been sure what his youngest brother, Gavin, would be like.
Turned out Gavin was open and easy to talk to. He was kind, and reminded her of the Cash in her memory—the one who had been running toward her briefly before he ran away.
A habit he’d never fully kicked, it seemed.
“Don’t worry about Irv. He’s just doing his job. I’ll grab you a backstage pass later.” Gavin placed a hand on her lower back and guided her away from the stage. He was a looker, from his contagious smile to the open-placket white button-down shirt. “How about a cocktail?”
“That would be great.” As handsome and kind as he was, she didn’t feel the same ripple of attraction as she felt for Cash. Which was alarming since she wasn’t supposed to be feeling anything for Cash. “It’s pretty empty up here. I’d have thought he’d pack the place.”
“We don’t open the doors for another fifteen minutes. How’s the lobby looking?”