Epilogue
The weekend at the Whisky had been incredible for the band and torturous for Julian. He’d had to force himself to concentrate on the music when all he wanted to do was leave the stage to fight every man who dared to look at Isla in her short black skirt, Whisky T-shirt and sexy little apron.
In addition to that nightmare, she’d had her hair in a high ponytail and had worn a lot more makeup than he’d seen on her before.
He’d been out of his mind over her from the first second he saw her decked out for work while he was doing a sound check with the band.
His mouth had fallen open as she’d sent him a saucy smile and a little wave while he tried to keep his tongue where it belonged.
“That’s not you looking at my baby sister like you want to eat her up, is it?” Denny had asked.
Isla had told her brother that she and Julian had decided to make a go of it together, and he’d told them both how happy he was for them. But that didn’t mean he liked watching Julian ogle her.
“She’s hot as fuck.”
“Watch your filthy mouth.”
“Sorry,” Julian said with a sheepish grin for his friend. “I only speak the truth.”
Denny glowered at him before they continued with the sound check. He kept an eye on Julian while Julian kept an eye on Isla during all three nights at the bar. Knowing he’d get to go home with her was the only thing that kept Julian from going insane.
On Sunday, they finished playing earlier than they had on Friday and Saturday and sat to have a drink together to celebrate a successful gig at one of the city’s most celebrated venues.
Stix raised his beer in a toast. “Here’s to sharing the stage with Janis, The Doors, Led Zep, The Kinks, The Byrds, Motley Crüe and so many others.”
“Hear, hear,” Denny said when he leaned in to touch his glass to the others.
“You guys were all on fire this weekend,” Troy said. “People noticed. Caleb heard from a promoter about sending us out on tour.”
Caleb was a friend who managed them in exchange for references to other bands, when they needed managing, that was.
“What?” Vixen said breathlessly. “Are you for real?”
“I’d never lie about something like that,” Troy said.
Julian and Denny exchanged glances as their friends’ dream came true, but it was a dream they didn’t share. For them, it was about the release of making music, not chasing the gold ring.
“Tell us exactly what he said,” Vixen demanded.
As Troy relayed the conversation to the others, Julian noticed a dude standing a little too close to Isla.
Her body language was defensive as she ran his credit card through a handheld reader and turned it to him to tip and sign.
When he handed it back to her, he leaned in and said something that had her visibly recoiling from him.
Julian was up and out of his seat, walking toward her before he’d even decided to go. “Everything okay, Isla?”
That she looked relieved to see him told Julian that whatever the guy had said to her was upsetting.
“Back off,” Julian said to the man, “before I make you sorry you were born.”
“Who the fuck are you?”
“I’m her lawyer and your worst nightmare.” Julian held the drunken man’s gaze until he put up his hands and took a step back, which saved Julian from shoving him and starting something he in no way wanted to deal with. “Get lost.”
Thankfully, the guy did as he was told.
“Are you okay?” Julian asked Isla.
She nodded.
“Almost done?”
“Another half hour.”
“Take your time.”
He’d driven her home the last two nights and spent most of each night in her bed, leaving before the kids and Mrs. V woke up. There’d been very little sleep either night, which had left him exhausted as he stared down a new workweek.
But he wouldn’t trade a minute with her for more sleep. He’d catch up eventually.
They left together shortly before two a.m. and drove home in Julian’s Porsche.
She was quieter than usual, which put him on edge. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“Don’t start lying to me now.”
“I was handling that guy. You didn’t have to get involved.”
“I saw that he upset you. I couldn’t sit there and do nothing.”
“They all upset me. They’re entitled and handsy and obnoxious, but we’ve got security for situations that get out of hand.”
“I’m sorry I interfered.”
“I want to be mad about it, but I was so freaking happy to see you.”
“I know you can take care of yourself, love, but I can’t help that I want to take care of you, too.”
“Why did you tell him you were my lawyer rather than my boyfriend or partner or whatever word we’re using?”
“Because I figured ‘lawyer’ would scare him off faster.”
“Oh, I see.”
He brought their joined hands to his lips for a kiss on the back of hers. “I should’ve told him you’re the love of my life and if he knows what’s good for him, he’d beat feet away from you.”
“Aw, nice recovery, Counselor.”
“It’s the truth. If you knew how much time I spend thinking about you when I’m not with you…”
“Same,” she said with a sigh. “It’s a crush of epic proportions.”
Julian was relieved that they’d quickly gotten back on track after a little bump in the road.
“Can I tell you something else that’ll make you happy?” she asked.
“I’m always here for that.”
“You were right about working in the bar. I’m too old for that shit these days, and even though the money is great, I can’t do it.”
“I’m really glad to hear you say that. I felt like every time I looked for you in the crowd this weekend, some dude was hassling you.”
“It’s exhausting. They’re so much more entitled than they used to be. When did that happen?”
“I’m not sure, but their bad behavior has been good for my business.”
“That’s a sad statement.”
“Sure is. I’ve heard and seen it all. Not that the women aren’t just as bad at times, but many of the men who come through my practice, whether they’re my clients or the opposition, are pieces of work, to say the least.”
“So what you’re saying is that I got super lucky to find one of the good ones.”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
She laughed, which he’d hoped she would. “I definitely see that. Just so you know.”
“I got one of the good ones, too. No manufactured drama just to see how I’ll react. No unreasonable expectations or wanting me to buy you expensive things because I can.”
“Ew. That’s really happened?”
“More often than I care to recall.”
“That’s so gross. What’s wrong with people?”
“Is that a rhetorical question? Because if you really want to know, I can entertain you for hours with stories about the many things that are wrong with people.”
“No wonder you wanted nothing to do with this mess for yourself. You see the worst of the worst—and you’ve lived it.”
“I didn’t want the mess until you showed up and quickly made me see that my life would be ruined if you weren’t by my side.”
She turned her head to look at him. “You know I’m a sure thing, right?”
Laughter burst from his chest. That happened a lot with her. “That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t hear how much I love and value you every single day.”
“I can live with that.”
“Good, because I can’t live without you.”
A few minutes later, they tiptoed into Isla’s house, where Mrs. V and the kids were sound asleep. While she checked on the kids, Julian went into her room to strip off his clothes and head for the shower to wash off the sweat from playing for hours.
He was standing under the warm water, eyes closed, when Isla wrapped her arms around him from behind and pressed her naked self to his back. Just that quickly, he wanted her. “You might want to give me some warning next time you do that, unless you want me to have a heart attack in your shower.”
Her soft chuckle vibrated against his back, where she pressed soft kisses to muscles gone tight from the rigors of performing for three straight nights.
“How do you feel about shower sex?” he asked.
“For other people or for myself?”
“I was thinking specifically of yourself.”
“I feel pretty good about it, but you’re exhausted.”
“Never too exhausted for shower sex with you.”
“Let me get clean first.”
“I’d be glad to help with that.”
He soaped up his hands and turned to face her, gliding them over every soft, sexy curve until she was squeaky clean and clinging to him, pressing herself against him as she initiated one of those hot kisses he craved when he was away from her.
Moving carefully because he was so tired, he lifted her against the shower wall and brought her down slowly onto his hard cock.
“Mmm,” he whispered in her ear. “I’ve been thinking about this all night.”
“You were busy all night.”
“I was busy counting the hours until I could be alone with you again. It seems to be all I think about these days.”
“That’s not true. You’re very devoted to your clients.”
“I’m very devoted to you.”
Because they were both exhausted and her kids would be up early, he took them on a fast ride that had them clinging to each other at the finish line.
Afterward, she held on tight to him, her face buried in his neck and her internal muscles squeezing him so perfectly that he started to get hard again.
“No,” she said, laughing. “Must sleep while we can.”
“If you’re going to be that way about it…”
“I am.”
He set her down and washed them both again before reaching for towels and wrapping her up in one of them.
If this was what it was like to be in love, to spend every night with the same woman, to look forward to the morning because it meant more time with her… He was happier than he’d ever been, and it was all because of her.
After they crawled into bed and met in the middle, arms and legs entwined, she exhaled a deep breath.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been this tired, even when I had newborns.”
“We’re getting too old to be up until three a.m. three nights in a row.”
“Speak for yourself, old man.”
“Hey, that’s mean.”
Her giggle was becoming his favorite thing. “What time should I set the alarm for so I can be out of here before Theo wakes up?”
“Don’t set it.”
“Umm…”
“He’ll see you with me eventually.”