Chapter 26
MADDY
Sitting outside on a sun lounger beside the pool, I read through work emails and the publicity schedule that lay ahead of me when I returned home. Morning shows. Photoshoots. Interviews. Late-night talk shows. Chicago. New York. Atlanta. That wasn’t too much travel. But as the sun’s warmth hit my skin, I put my cell phone down. Work could wait. I had five more days in this beautiful country. I was in the middle of Tuscany. In a gorgeous villa with my friends...and my husband...and, unfortunately, Harper.
Last night, Slip’s mom’s party had been an overload of highs and lows. The inundation of relatives wishing us well, loud laughter, and booming voices had been a flurry of overwhelming fun. But the blows from Slip’s immediate family, especially his mom, had hurt my heart. Now I understood why he didn’t visit them often. Their disappointment hadn’t let up. They’d said nothing encouraging. I’d tried to not let the night get to me, but I hadn’t been able to sleep.
The more I got to know Slip, the more I realized we were alike. He hid so much behind his beautiful smile. He just wanted to be loved, respected, and accepted. I’d never fail him on those things, but how could I give him more on a regular basis? Was what we had what he truly needed? Was only seeing him occasionally sustainable long-term? I couldn’t help but think he deserved so much more than me.
I’d come downstairs at two-thirty a.m. to read so I didn’t disturb Slip with the lamplight. But I’d fallen asleep on the comfy sofa and had been woken by the chef making noise in the kitchen just after six this morning.
Bene had made me an incredible fluffy egg-white omelet, which I ate half of, then I grabbed a coffee and came outside to the pool to savor the peace and quiet. But thoughts of Slip filled my head. Fors and againsts staying together pummeled my head. No sound solution came to mind. I hated being in this situation. I just wanted a stress-free day. To spend time with him. To have fun away from interruptions. A day belonging to us.
Just after eleven, Sutton joined me, cradling her huge Stanley water bottle. In her pale blue pajama shorts and tank top, she sat on the sun lounger beside me and rubbed the sleep from her eyes.
I lowered my sunglasses and giggled, then put them back into place. “How’s the head?” I’d heard everyone come back to the villa just after two.
“Not good,” she mumbled as she placed her sunglasses over her bloodshot eyes. “Uncle Rocco brought out the good wine . It went down way too well. You guys should’ve stayed.”
“Slip wasn’t up for it.”
“He okay? Are you?”
“Yeah. He’d hoped his parents would’ve accepted that we’re married by now. But clearly, that wasn’t the case.” I wriggled the striped pillow behind my head to get more comfortable. Slip and I did so much for our families, but they just wanted more, for us to change, or for us to be something we weren’t. “Slip says his mom will come around. I hope so. We have enough issues to sort out without her causing problems.”
“She will. You’re too adorable not to like.”
If you could call a screwed up, commitment-phobic, doubtful, stressed-out mess adorable, okay...I could be adorable. Sometimes .
Sutton took a big sip of water and licked her lips. “His mom would be happy if you lived in LA, wanted kids, and aimed to do nothing but take care of her baby boy.”
I was not like his brother’s wives, not at all.
Sutton’s lips quirked to one side. “Glad she’s not my mother-in-law.”
“No, but you have to deal with Flint’s parents.” I lifted my chin toward the sun, savoring the sunshine on my face. “They’ve got their own truckload of baggage. Don’t worry about that.”
“Yeah,” she sighed. “They’re coming around slowly after losing Phil.”
They’d blamed Flint for Phil’s death and hadn’t talked to him for months after the car accident. Phil had been driving—not Flint. Their accusation that he’d been responsible for his brother’s death had added an extra-thick layer of crap to Flint’s depression. He’d lost his brother and his folks. He’d had a tough time climbing his way out of his gloom. So had Cole. Slip still struggled with the loss of his best friend. Some days the grief consumed him. Tore at his insides. And he had to stop hiding his sorrow behind his fun-loving smile, wild partying, and pill popping. I loved a drink and good time as much as he did. But since he’d hit the hard pain-killers, I wasn’t convinced he had everything under control. It was one of the tough, sensitive topics we’d yet to discuss. But it was a conversation we had to have.
I swiveled my head to face her. “Flint’s folks seem nice. I’m not sure I’ll ever be welcome at the Lipfields’ dinner table unless I’m barefoot and pregnant and have been in the kitchen all day.”
“That’s so not you.” Sutton sucked on her water, then licked her lips. “I want kids one day, but I want to get married first.”
“You talked to Flint about that?”
“I drop hints all the time.” She rounded her shoulders, slumped back in the sun lounger, and stared toward the vineyard. “I don’t know if he’s ignoring me, not ready, doesn’t want to get married, or he’s oblivious.”
“Maybe he’s waiting until after the tour?”
“Or my birthday? Or Christmas? Or Valentine’s Day? I’m waiting for him to ask me. I want it to happen. But if he hasn’t asked me by next summer, our three-year anniversary, I might have to propose to him. I want to be Mrs. Glover. Be his forever.”
“You don’t need to get married to stay together.”
“No. But I want to get married. I want to be a bride. You wanted to marry Noah years ago. Remember?”
I try not to .
“What happened wasn’t your fault. Now you’ve got this incredible second chance at happiness with Slip. You’re with one of the most amazing, fun-loving guys I’ve ever known. You’ve committed to each other. I want that with Flint.”
“We’re working on the commitment part. We only got married thanks to excessive drinking and a crazy impulsive moment.”
“I don’t believe that. You said yes for a reason. In that moment, when he asked you to marry him, and you said ‘yes,’ you saw your future together. So make the life you want happen. You love him. He loves you. Nothing else matters.”
“I wish it was that simple.” It was our complex lives that made the decision to stay together difficult. It wasn’t just the fact we cared about each other. We had to balance the demands of our work and our responsibilities, and we hadn’t done that yet. “We’re taking it day by day and trying not to be distracted by everything else going on around us.”
“There will always be something going on. But you’re here for the next few days. Spend every second together. Talk, don’t fight.”
“That would be nice. “ Smiling, I leaned over and play-punched her arm. “We can’t all be perfect like you and Flint.”
“Oh, we’re not perfect.” Her tone plummeted. “And you know it. Most days Flint battles his depression. Writing music and performing helps him with that. Toning down his drinking is a constant struggle. Being apart isn’t easy. At home, we argue about who left crap lying on the floor, him leaving the toilet seat up, what to have for dinner, and whose turn it is to take out the trash. It is a never-ending challenge to find the balance between the band, my work, and spending time with each other. That is hard. But life is better together. We love each other unconditionally. You and Slip are still working your way through the muddle. You both have to learn to compromise, be patient, be understanding, and trust each other if you’re going to work.”
Slip and I hated compromising. That was often the root of most of our arguments. Neither one of us wanted to miss a work commitment or a function or day together. Life always threw curveballs. Mom’s illness was the most common one.
But as I swiped away a fly, heaviness pressed against my chest. Slip had always said he’d come to Vancouver and stay with me after the tour. He’d never hesitated in the past to get on a plane or drop what he was doing if I was in LA to come see me. He’d do anything for me. I’d never questioned it. But what had I done for him? Not much other than come to Italy. What could I do to make our life easier? Shit. I didn’t think I was selfish, but maybe I was. Damn. That was a harsh wake-up call.
Sutton combed her fingernails through her hair, then scratched her scalp. “Have you got plans today?”
“Yeah.” I’d been researching online earlier. “We’re going to drive out to Monterosso on the Cinque Terre coastline, spend the afternoon at the beach, then be back for dinner. You?”
“Flint and I are going to a day spa. Cole and Ava are doing a cooking class with the kids in Florence, and Tia and Lewis are checking out Sienna.”
“Nice. A day of relaxing will be awesome.”
But just when I was feeling better about the day ahead, Harper walked outside, looking like a goddess in a tiny bikini that barely covered her tits and ass. Nausea bubbled through my gut as she dropped her towel on the sun lounger at the end of the pool and stepped into the water. Ergh. “Avoiding her won’t hurt either.” I’d promised myself I’d get to know her better, but not today.
Sutton lowered her sunglasses and glanced at Harper. The kids came rushing out and jumped in with her, splashing and swimming about. “She has a nice figure. But I wouldn’t be worried about her. The guys treat her like a big sister. I’ve never seen Slip give her the time of day. She’s always with the kids. The guys would break Slip’s kneecaps if he hurt you. Beckett would hold him back and Ava would pummel him blue, too, if he ever stepped out of line.”
“I’d like to think so.”
“I know so,” Sutton slapped me on the thigh. “Stop doubting and start believing you belong together.”
Slip came out of the house. At a steady jog, he headed toward me and sank onto the seat beside me. “Hey? Is everything alright? You weren’t next to me when I woke up. I was worried my family had scared you off.”
I slid my hand over his knee. “It’d take more than a family who cares about you to do that. I just couldn’t sleep. I left so you could have a good rest.”
He tapped my thigh and pointed for me to move over. I shuffled across to the edge of the sun lounger so he could lie beside me. He stretched out and rested his head on my belly. “Thank you, but I sleep better when you’re by my side.”
“Maybe tomorrow we’ll spend the whole day in bed.” I combed my fingers through his hair. “But today, I’ve planned the afternoon. You ready to head out?”
“Where are we going?”
“The beach. Can you be ready in fifteen minutes?”
“I’m ready now.”
He jumped up, held out his hand, and helped me to my feet. I waved goodbye to Sutton. “We’ll be back for dinner by eight. Don’t wait for us if we’re not here in time.”
“Okay. Have fun.”
After changing into my bikini, skirt, and tank top, I packed a bag for the day at the beach. We jumped into our McLaren Spider. I took the wheel once again and drove through the countryside toward Cinque Terre. The purr of the engine and roar as I sped down the highway did strange things to the nerve-endings between my legs.
“Slip? Now we’re alone, it’s time I come clean and tell you something. It’s serious...but I’m in love with someone else.”
“What?” He shot forward in his seat and spun toward me.
A second of doubt washed over me. I shouldn’t tease. But he had a wicked sense of humor, so I banked on that.
Digging deep, I drew on my acting skills and kept a straight face. I stared at the road ahead and embedded a new level of sincerity into my tone. “Yeah. It’s only new. Real new.”
“Who the fuck, Maddy?”
“I’m in love...with this car. McLaren and me. This Spider. We’re tight.”
“Fuck.” He shoved me on the arm as a huge grin returned to his face. “You scared the shit out of me. ”
“I’m sorry, babe.” I burst out laughing but felt bad. His family made him feel like shit—I didn’t want to do that. Noted: don’t do that in the future . With a flirtatious smile, I glided my hand lightly over the steering wheel and moaned. “But this car is totally turning me on. With the top down and wind in my hair, it’s like....ah. Ah. AH!”
“You’re evil, but so fucking sexy.” His relieved smile turned wicked and dangerous as he draped his arm across the back of my seat. “I’m the only one who gets to turn you on. And I’d be more than happy for you to pull over somewhere so I can prove it.”
My thighs clenched together. “Yeah?”
“Baby, no car will ever make you come. But I will.” He slid his hand up my leg, beneath my skirt, and cupped my pussy. “I’ll gladly get you off in this McLaren if that is what you want.”
He toyed with the edge of my bikini bottoms. Heat pooled in my core.
Fuck!
I signaled at the next exit, drove for another mile, and stopped on the edge of a side road underneath the shade of some bushy trees.
Beckett pulled up beside us on his motorbike. “What’s wrong?”
Slip grinned and pointed into the distance ahead. “You need to see what’s at the top of that hill and come back in, say...fifteen minutes. Deal?”
Becket lowered his visor, nodded, and took off.
We were finally alone.
I hadn’t been lying about the car turning me on, but Slip did too.
I wriggled my bikini pants off, climbed over the console, and eased onto his lap.
The leather seat was just wide enough for my lower legs to fall beside Slip’s thighs.
As he undid his beach shorts and released his cock, his eyes never left mine. Something about the way he looked at me filled my chest with warmth, my veins with fire, and my heart with light.
Holding onto his shoulder, I teased my wet pussy over his erection, rocking my hips against his. Every inch of me was alive and hungry for him.
“This car will never appreciate you like I do.” He threaded his fingers into my hair, drew my lips to his, and swept his tongue into my mouth, dancing and dueling with mine. Each touch sent sparks tingling down my spine and across my skin. As he trailed fiery kisses along my neck, he ran his hands over every inch of my flesh. He caught the bottom of my tank top and eased it upwards, gathering it above my breasts. He yanked the cup of my bikini top aside, dipped his head, and took my nipple in his mouth.
“Slip.” I arched toward him. He circled his warm, wet tongue around my hardened bud, flicked it across the tip, then grazed his teeth over the tender flesh. Oh, wow. “Oh shit, that’s good.”
The hot breeze teased my nipple. It puckered even more with Slip’s taunting touches. A soft moan fell from his lips as he massaged my other breast. He tugged my top aside and repeated the action, dragging his tongue over it, sucking and licking the tip. He followed that with a scrape of his teeth. Damn. Jolts of need shot straight to my core.
I clutched onto a handful of his hair and drew his lips back to mine. “I need to fuck you.”
With our lips connected, I took my weight on my knees and palmed his cock. I swirled my thumb over the head, smiled against his lips, then eased forward. As I lowered onto him, my pussy throbbed and clenched around him. Shudders coiled up my spine and shot through my veins. I seared my lips to his, rocked my hips, and took him in deep. Yeah. There.
Slip grunted, closed his eyes, and wriggled beneath me.
“Babe? Is your hip okay?” Sports cars weren’t designed for sex, but I’d make this one work.
“Fuck yes. You feel amazing.” A lazy smile played across his lips as he tilted his hips toward mine. He swept his fingertips over my breasts, then tweaked my nipples.
My body flinched, driving his cock farther inside me. He grinned mischievously. “I must admit, I’m liking this car more and more by the second.”
“Good,” I whispered against his lips, then took one of his hands and guided it behind me, down to my ass. “I like it here too.”
Hunger blazed in his eyes. He clutched onto my waist and drove into me hard. He pulled me forward and moaned. “So does my dick.”
“I like your cock where it is.” I raised a fraction, then sank onto him again and set the motion on repeat.
“Hmmm. So do I.” Grinning, Slip ran his hand up my thigh, making his way underneath my skirt. His warm touch rounded my butt. He dragged his calloused fingertips over my soft skin, dug them hard into my flesh, then made his way toward the center of my butt. He teased my entrance. “You want me here?”
“Yes.” I kissed up the length of his throat, licked his lobe, and bit the shell of his ear. “I want you everywhere.”
“I want you forever.” He quirked a cute eyebrow, wriggled lower in the soft seat, and pressed a button on the side to tilt it backward. His hand returned underneath my skirt, sliding between my legs from behind until he met my pussy, full of his dick. He played with and taunted me, driving me crazy with anticipation, but then he swept my wet arousal toward my butthole. He circled it, then slowly pressed the tip of one finger inside. “I’ll give you anything and everything you want.”
“I don’t need anything.” I returned to kissing his gorgeous lips.
“Yes, you do...me.” He thrust his hips forward, driving his cock into me deeper, and eased his finger farther into my butt.
“Arghhhh.” My eyes slammed shut. My body jerked at the spike of pain and new invasion. I clenched around his finger. But then I wriggled, let out a breath, and relaxed.
“You with me, baby?” Slip cupped the side of my face and kissed me softly. Tenderly. Hungrily.
“Oh, yeah.”
He swept my hair back and deepened our kiss. “Good.”
Our bodies became one as we moved, rocking and rubbing, thrusting and driving. The leather squelched beneath my legs as I rode Slip, my pussy getting its greedy fill of his hard cock. My ass, a needed pleasure from his finger as it probed and teased my depths.
I quickened my pace, riding him up and down. Slip’s breath entwined with mine in a duel of panting heaves. His head fell back against the seat, but he never relented on touching me, kissing me, giving me what I wanted. Then he smiled against my lips, dug deep into my ass, and hit that spot.
“Oh, shit.” My core clenched around him, and I rode him, harder and harder. “There.”
As he kissed me, stealing the air from my lungs, he took me over the edge.
“Ahhhh. Slip. Yes!” I cried so loud I was sure the whole of Italy heard me. I didn’t care. My fingernails dug into his shoulders. Fire hurtled across my body. My heart pummeled my ribs as delectable pulses coursed through every cell in my system, tingled my skin and shot up my spine.
“Mads. Fuck.” Slip jerked into me, filling me with his release. Thrusting. Quaking. Shaking, with the most glorious smile curling across his lips .
My pussy throbbed around his thudding cock. My ass clung onto his finger. As we rode out the wave of pleasure, we shuddered, holding each other. Close. Tight. He eased his finger out of me, straightened my skirt, then cradled my butt.
“Wow.” He swept my hair off my face with his other hand. “You’re so freaking beautiful. And Sexy. And my girasole .”
I’d never tire of seeing the satisfied smile that inched across his face after I’d made him come.
Why did sex of any kind, in any position, with him have to be so good? It’d be life-changing if we could do that daily—not in broken pieces of time. Our catchups often shot us into the stratosphere of pleasure, but if we were to stay married, we had to evolve into something more than great lovers. Time was ticking. But answering hard questions and making decisions that would affect both our lives scared me. We had to talk...tonight.
Shit .
Was I delaying things again?
No. I wouldn’t . I just wanted a few more hours away from my worries.
I realigned my bikini top over my boobs and lowered my tank top. “That was freaking hot, thanks to the Spider. I tell you, it’s this car.”
“I’m gonna buy you one for your birthday.”
“Whaaaat?” My voice pitched high as I grabbed my purse off the floor and retrieved a packet of tissues for us to clean up. I clambered back into the driver’s seat and put my bikini bottoms back on. “You want me to part ways with Britney?” My loyal and trusty Audi A6 had never let me down. She’d been mine since I was eighteen. I hate not having her with me in Vancouver.
Slip did up his shorts and turned toward me. “I have a six-car garage. There’s plenty of room. ”
Yes, his Camaro, Mercedes truck, and motorcycle took up three spaces. Brittany fit nicely between some music trunks and storage boxes whenever I stayed over...came home... shit. We hadn’t even talked about whose house we would live in. Or how I could continue to care for Mom...and every other thing. Ergh!
“I don’t need another car. I’m not in LA often enough to justify the expense. And I have a driver in Vancouver.”
“I’m not into buying unnecessary shit or wasting money either, but we need a car like this. I want to do what we just did again and again.” He reached over, cupped my face, and traced my jaw with his thumb. “The way your eyes lit up, and you let your inhibitions go, and that smile on your face would be worth it. I’d do anything to make you happy, Mads.”
“I don’t need another car.”
“That’s why I love you so much, but I want to spoil you every now and then.”
“Why?”
“You’re my wife.”
I smiled, but uncertainty plagued my mind. My heart constricted and ached. Dizziness spun through my head. I didn’t want to lose him, but reality kept hammering my skull. How can we work long-term?
“Maddy?” My name fell from his lips with a longing and plea that hurt my chest. He combed his fingers through my hair and hooked it behind my ear. “Talk to me. About us. It’s killing me not knowing where your head is at.”
“I know.” I covered his hand with mine and leaned into his touch. “We will. Tonight. I promise. This isn’t the ideal place. Can we just have a fun afternoon and talk when we get back to the villa?”
He moved his head a fraction in a nod. “Yeah. No more delays.”
I teased my fingers over his soft stubble. “Promise.”