Chapter 18 #2
Before Phoenix Cross, no one carried her anywhere—except her father when she’d been five and in serious danger of peeing her pants because she’d downed three large ices and then they couldn’t find the public restroom.
In movies and books, nothing sent her eyes into a deeper eye roll than a damsel being swept off their feet by their muscled love interest.
Now?
She could almost see the appeal.
Almost.
Addie downed the medicine, hoping it worked fast, and padded barefoot into the short hall.
A sweet, soothingly low hum drew her into the living room.
Phoenix sat at her bay window, one knee propped on a cushion as he played his guitar.
Sleeves rolled up, his tattooed arms flexed and bunched as he strummed the strings in an effortless motion.
She couldn’t tear her eyes away from him.
Body relaxed, and a soft smile on his face, he obviously assumed he was alone. He stopped humming and jotted something in the book lying open in front of him, and then started again, an entire onslaught of emotions swimming over his face.
“That was beautiful.” Addie announced her presence softly. “Is that one of the new Talons songs?”
Phoenix sat up straight instantly and eyed her from head to toe as she approached. “I was feeling a little antsy, but I didn’t want to leave you alone tonight, so I went next door and got my guitar. I didn’t wake you, did I?”
“Nope.”
Phoenix closed the notebook and set his guitar aside as he opened his legs and crooked a finger. “How are you feeling? How’s the head?”
He drew her into the open V of his thighs and pulled her close, hand resting low on her hip. Being in this position felt natural, her body content as his hand slowly slid up her arm and cupped her cheek.
Phoenix searched deeply into her eyes. “I was about to wake you up in ten minutes to make sure you’re still you, and to take some more pain medicine.”
“I saw your notes, and I already took them.” She rested her hands and gently rubbed over his tensed muscles.
“Now that my brain doesn’t feel sludgy, I realized I forgot to thank you for diving into that mosh pit.
And for getting me into the medical tent.
And getting me home. And for staying with me tonight. ”
“What else would I do, and where else would I be?” He smiled at her, expression soft, and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “I’m just glad you’re okay—as a whole.”
“Will you get in trouble with Marcus for leaving the concert? And for punching a member of the audience?”
He shrugged. “First, that guy deserved so much more than the one single punch. Second, it doesn’t matter if Marcus—or anyone else—has an issue with cutting things short. The moment that asshole laid hands on you, there was only one course of action.”
His words warmed something inside, helping her see the appeal of the touch-her-and-die micro-trope found in a lot of romance novels.
Addie ran her fingers softly over his stubble. “You never answered my first question.”
“Which was what?” He gently grabbed her hand, and kissed her palm before entwining their fingers.
“That pretty song you were just humming. Is that one of the new Stone Talons songs? Will you play it for me?”
He snorted. “No, and no.”
“No?”
“It’s definitely not on-brand for the Stone Talons, and as for playing it for you, it’s not fit for anyone’s ears just yet.”
“What are the benefits of having a fauxmance if my fake boyfriend won’t serenade me?” She pouted exaggeratedly and he chuckled.
“Once you’re no longer concussed, I’ll give you a firsthand demonstration of one of the perks of having a fauxmance with me as your fake boyfriend. But until then, remember the doctor’s order? Rest.”
“You know,” Addie leaned closer as she summoned her inner vixen, “Dr. Sethi said ‘probably’ concussed. There wasn’t a definitive diagnosis.”
Phoenix’s lips twitched into a knowing grin. “Go twenty-four hours without a headache, and you’re on.”
“Really?” Addie began calculating hours.
“Really. A non-medicated twenty-four hours,” he added.
And there went her idea of popping acetaminophen like Tic Tacs.
“Let’s get the patient back to bed.” Phoenix wrapped her legs around his waist and took her to the bedroom where he gently laid her on the center of her mattress.
“You know, they say orgasms are a great non-medicated form of pain relief,” Addie said coyly.
“They say that, huh?”
“Yep. It works for cramps, too, and headaches are basically cramps of the head, right? I mean, you’ve already been so helpful today, it would be a shame not to keep the streak going.”
He laughed, and much to Addie’s excitement, slowly crawled onto the bed and over her until his arms and legs bracketed each side of her body. “That would be a real shame.”
“Absolutely.”
“Maybe I should give it some serious consideration.”
“I would if I were in your shoes.”
He brushed his mouth over hers in a soft caress of her lips, once, then twice.
The third time, he deepened the kiss until her entire body breathed an excited sigh of relief.
Slipping her fingers into his hair, she held him close and let her tongue play with his in an intimate give and take that had her quickly begging for more.
She emitted a little growl of frustration when he slowly pulled away.
Until he dragged his mouth down the curve of her neck …
Over her chest …
His hand, calloused from the guitar and drums, flirted with the bottom edge of her pajama top before sliding beneath and gently palming a heavy breast. Her body arched into his touch.
“No moving, love,” Phoenix directed softly but firmly, his gaze locked on hers. “I’ll give you that non-medicated orgasmic pain relief, but you better not move from this position. Got it?”
She bit her bottom lip to keep from whimpering, and nodded. “Yep.”
He waited a beat, and then her shirt was pushed up and his mouth ghosted over her skin and down to her torso. He made quick work of her panties, sliding them down her legs and flinging them across the room.
“Such a pretty pussy,” Phoenix murmured a second before he lowered his mouth and kissed her inner thigh. He slowly inched his way closer to where she wanted him, no doubt dragging the act out on purpose to make her squirm.
And she was squirming—or trying not to as he’d ordered.
He teased, kissing every inch of skin while carefully avoiding where she needed him most. And she did need him. More than her next breath. More than her next dose of pain meds.
When the tip of his tongue finally caressed over her clit, Addie saw stars, all air instantly sucked from her lungs.
He did it again and again, and soon it was nearly impossible for Addie to remain still. With Phoenix’s head between her legs, she didn’t once think about her headache. She rolled her hips, searching for more. More of Phoenix. More pleasure. More everything.
And she never wanted it to stop.
Phoenix devoured her, his desire-filled gaze locked on her as he nudged her closer to the edge. Her knees shook from her impending release, each breath more labored than the next as she slipped her fingers into his hair and pleaded for more.
With his mouth fused to her clit, he slid two fingers into her already quivering pussy and pushed her right over that cliff.
Addie fell apart.
And as Phoenix pushed her from one orgasm into another, prolonging her release just a little bit more, she felt him putting her right back together.