Saxon Read online

  Still thinking about you, friend.

  I sigh heavily and hit delete.

  Chapter Two

  Saxon

  I bring the glass to my lips, then put it down on the table. “So…”

  Ryder’s eyes narrow. “What’s going on?”

  “I’m going to ask your cousin out,” I tell him, waiting for his reaction. I don’t need anyone’s permission, but he’s a part of the band, and I don’t need any drama while we’re touring. I also respect Ryder and don’t want to be in his shit any more than I already have in the past.

  “Which cousin?” he asks, looking confused and a little annoyed.

  “Tenielle,” I say, like it should be obvious. I’m pretty sure his other cousins are too young for me, but then again he has a huge ass family so you never know.

  Ryder stares at me for a moment then starts laughing.

  In my face.

  “What the fuck is so funny?” I growl, losing my patience.

  “Tee can handle herself, you don’t need to even run that shit by me,” he says, pride in his tone. “In fact, I might pay you to take her off my hands.”

  “Very fuckin’ funny,” I mutter. Everyone always talks about what a handful Tenielle is, and that may be true, but I know that there’s more to her than that. I’ve seen it lurking behind those dark wide eyes. Yes she’s strong, independent, and no-nonsense, but she’s also loyal, hilarious, and loving.

  “I’ve seen you checking her out anyway,” Ryder continues. “Looking all wistful and shit.”

  Am I that obvious? “I don’t know what it is about her… she’s different.”

  Lexi and I had dated when we were younger, before she was friends with Tee. It was a young, puppy love, my first love I guess you could say. Back then I thought she was the love of my life, but I was wrong. I was young and didn’t really know any better. What I feel for Tee is on a whole different playing field, and I don’t even understand it.

  I haven’t even had her yet.

  But I’ve wanted her for that long.

  He bobs his head. “You can say that again.”

  He makes it sound like that isn’t necessarily the best thing.

  I scrub my hand across my face as he starts to sing Destiny’s Child ‘Independent Woman’.

  “Seriously?”

  He grins. “She’s complicated, that one. But let me tell you, you get her, and you’re the luckiest man in the world. She’s loyal, she’s smart, and she’s badass. I don’t even have to mention how beautiful she is.”

  No he didn’t. Wide dark brown eyes, thick dark hair, and that mouth…

  Don’t even get me started on her body.

  “I’ve had my eye on her for a while, even though I know she’s holding a grudge over my past with Lexi,” I say, cringing that I even had to bring it up.

  “I’m sure you can get her to forgive you,” he says, lip twitching. “She’s a really understanding girl.”

  Is that sarcasm I hear in his tone? It doesn’t matter. I know I want her. I’ve had years of seeing her, and the pull hasn’t gone away. There is something there, sizzling between us, and it doesn’t matter how much we try to ignore it.

  Because it isn’t going anywhere.

  And now—neither am I.

  “She said she’s single.”

  Ryder glances up from his phone. “She’s always single. She dates but doesn’t usually commit.”

  “Why?” I ask, wanting to find out anything I can about her.

  Ryder lifts his shoulder in a shrug. “She has high standards, she always has. She won’t settle.”

  I like that.

  In my line of work, easy gets boring real fast. We have women throwing themselves at us every day, and it’s lost its appeal. Not that I usually take them up on their offer. I’ve fucked two groupies this whole year, and that was only because I was sick of being lonely and couldn’t take it anymore. I can’t even remember their faces now. All it amounted to was release without emotion, not something to brag about. After I cheated on Lexi I think I’ve been punishing myself. I haven’t allowed myself to get too close to another woman. Or am I just waiting for the right woman? Enough is enough. Lexi and I are friends, and I’m cool with that. It took some time, but I let her go. She’s happy, and she’s with who she’s meant to be with. Now it’s time for me to go after the same.

  “I gotta get home to pack,” I say, standing up. “Another tour—can you believe it?”

  “I know,” Ryder replies, smiling crookedly. “Morning Alliance made it international, who would have thought?”

  “Me,” I reply smugly.

  Ryder laughs. “I’ll see you and your ego in a few days.”

  I say bye and head home.

  A lot can happen in a few days.

  *****

  I’m not ashamed to admit that I rang Lexi and asked her what her and Tee were up to tonight. I thought I was being subtle about it, but Lexi called me out on it straight away, and I didn’t bother to deny it. What’s the point?

  “Why do you want to know?” she asks, curiosity filling her tone.

  “AJ,” I say, calling her by the name she used to go by when we were younger. “Why do you think?”

  “Ha! I knew you had a thing for her. And don’t call me AJ,” she replies. “Ryder doesn’t like it.”

  Why? Because that’s what I knew her as? I thought he was over the whole thing.

  “I’m drawn to her, you know? I don’t want things to be weird though,” I tell her.

  Lexi is quiet for a few seconds. “It’s not weird on my end. Tee deserves a good man, and I know you’ve made mistakes, but one mistake doesn’t define you for the rest of your life. I just wasn’t it for you. We were young Saxon. Young and stupid.”

  “Thank you, Oprah,” I mutter.

  She giggles. “Tee is at home tonight, doing nothing. She likes to unwind by watching movies and eating junk food.”

  “I wonder how she would react if I just dropped by,” I murmur.

  “Do it. Oh and a little suggestion, if you bring something, she’s more likely to let you in. I suggest jam donuts, she’s kind of obsessed with them right now.”

  I thank her and hang up.

  Jam donuts?

  I throw on some jeans and a shirt then head on over to Tee’s apartment. When she opened the door, eyes flaring at my presence, I hand her the tray.

  She looks down at the jam donuts and grins. “You do deliveries now?”

  I smile and watch her eye the donuts with appreciation. “I heard you had an addiction, and I thought I’d bring you a fix.”

  Her laugh draws my gaze to her pouty lips.

  “Well than, thanks for this, they look delicious,” she says, blowing me a kiss and then closing the door in my face.

  Okay, that didn’t go as expected.

  I grimace slightly and knock again. She opens the door and stands there staring at me with narrowed brown eyes. “Okay what are you really doing here?”

  “I came to say hello,” I tell her, flashing a panty-dropping smile.

  “Hello,” she says, then goes to close the door again.

  I put my foot in, blocking it. “You said we were friends, and friends hang out together sometimes.”

  She bites her bottom lip. “So you’re just here for… a chat?”

  “Yeah just to catch up.”

  She stares at me.

  I stare back.

  Sighing heavily, she moves aside so I can enter. I follow her into her kitchen and sit down in front of her as she pulls out a donut and takes a bite.

  She moans, “These are so good, where did you buy them from?”

  “It’s a secret,” I reply, staring at the sugar on her lips. I’m not telling her so now she has to come to me if she wants them. Ingenious plan I know.

  She puts the half eaten treat down and licks her fingers. “To what do I owe this visit Saxon?”

  “Friends visit all the time,” I say casually. “Sometimes they even drop by
unexpectedly.”

  She grins at me. “With yummy food.”

  I bob my head. “Sometimes.”

  “No plans tonight?” she asks with a tilt of her head.

  “Nope, how about yourself?” I ask, even though I already know they had nothing planned tonight because Lexi told me.

  She points down to her outfit, blue track pants and a thin white singlet top. “Just chilling at home with movies and popcorn.”

  “Sounds good to me,” I say, grabbing a donut and taking a bite. “You make the popcorn, I’ll put the first movie on.”

  She purses her lips and narrows her eyes at me. “Really?”

  “Yes, really,” I reply, smirking at her.

  “You don’t have a groupie to bone or something tonight?” she asks, batting her eyelashes.

  “Nope, tonight I’m all yours,” I reply, ignoring her comment. “Lounge room? Or should we watch movies in your bed?”

  “Lounge room,” she says instantly, eyes widening as soon as I mention the word bed.

  I hide my grin and navigate through her apartment. The place is tidy and uncluttered but has a warm, welcoming feeling to it. Her couch is black and looks extremely comfortable, with large red pillows on it.

  “What are we watching?” I ask her as she stands there, watching me in her space.

  She points to a pile of DVDs. “You choose something, I’m going to make the popcorn.”

  She leaves the room, and I choose the top movie on the pile, which happens to be V for Vendetta. Tee walks back into the room a few minutes later with a large bowl of popcorn and two bottles of water. She stares at the screen and nods in approval. “Good choice.”

  The movie starts to play, and we sit side by side watching it. My thigh touches her thigh, and she quickly moves hers away. I reach my hand into the bowl, and our fingers touch. I can’t resist running my thumb across her delicate wrist. She pulls hers away and shoots me a scowl. “Fingers to yourself buddy.”

  I laugh at her cute expression. “It was an accident.”

  “Uh huh, I’ll bet,” she replies, licking the butter off her index finger.

  I shift in my seat, trying to quickly adjust myself. Fuck she’s hot. Her eyes aren’t on me, but mine are on her. I don’t know what it is about her really. Maybe I just need to get her out of my system or maybe it’s more. I don’t really know—but I intend to find out. I haven’t been this into a girl since… Yeah. Not going there. Lexi was my first love, but Tee, she could be something else. Something more. If only she wasn’t so damn stubborn.

  “Are you going to stare at me the whole movie? It’s a little fucking creepy,” she says, pulling me from my thoughts.

  “I like looking at you,” I admit to her.

  “Are you turning into one of those rock stars with weird quirky habits?” she asks, throwing a piece of popcorn at me.

  “Maybe,” I reply, my lip curving.

  She looks at me, her face blank. “New rule. Quit the staring. Watch the movie.”

  My lip twitches. “I guess I can do that.”

  She sighs heavily. “Are you always this high maintenance?”

  “What?” I ask, laughing at her.

  She waves her hand in the air, like that’s an answer.

  “Yeah, that’s not an answer,” I let her know.

  She stands, and I can’t help but check out her perfect round ass.

  “I’m getting some ice-cream, do you want some?” she asks, her hips swaying enticingly with every step as she retreats to the kitchen.

  “Yes please,” I call out.

  She returns with two bowls and hands me one.

  “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome,” she replies.

  “What are you doing next weekend?” I ask her around a mouthful of chocolate ice-cream.

  “Why?” she asks.

  “I thought maybe you’d like to come to one of our concerts? I could fly you out—”

  “No thanks,” she replies, cutting me off.

  “Why not?” I ask, frowning.

  She shrugs both her shoulders. “I have plans.”

  That’s not the only reason, and we both know it.

  “Plans with who?” I ask curiously. If she has a date, I don’t know how well I’ll handle it. Why is she so difficult? She just needs to stop fighting and give in. Things would be so much easier.

  The words Tenielle and easy do not go together.

  “Dude, we just became friends. Stop acting like you have the right to ask me stuff like that,” she blurts out, eyebrows furrowed.

  Fuck.

  “You’re right, I’m sorry,” I reply. “I want you, and sometimes I forget…”

  Forget that she doesn’t want me back. Well she does, she just doesn’t want to admit it. She’s so deep in denial, she has her own brand of it. I want to push, but I know now isn’t the time. Yet.

  She exhales and puts her bowl on the floor. “Can we just hang out without having to talk about this?”

  I nod my head, amused. “Okay.”

  Her smile makes it all worth it. “Good. I get to choose the next movie.”

  I put my arm behind her, resting it on the back of the couch. She sends me a cute sideways glance but doesn’t say anything.

  She smells good.

  I return my attention back to the TV.

  I’ve never hated the word friend so much in my life.

  Chapter Three

  Tee

  My eyes flutter open and I stretch my arms about my head lazily. When my hand comes in contact with a warm hard chest, I sit up. Wide eyed, I turn my head to stare at a sleeping Saxon. How did we end up in my bed? I must have fallen asleep on the couch. Did he carry me? And why the hell is he still here? I take the opportunity to stare at this muscled body, his tattoos, and his pierced nipples.

  I suddenly feel parched.

  His abs are defined, and I want nothing more than to lick them. Maybe even tug gently on those nipple rings with my teeth and then….

  “Enjoying the view?” comes a deep rumbly voice, thick with sleep.

  My gaze moves to his warm brown eyes. “Hell yeah I’m enjoying the view,” I admit. “Did you carry me to bed?”

  “I did,” he replies, running a hand through his messy hair. Good thing he’s strong, because I’m not a light girl, and I’m not just saying that. I’m five-foot-ten with curves that I wouldn’t change for the world. I’ve never heard any complaints before either.

  “And you decided to stay the night because…”

  He smiles sheepishly. “I was tired, and you had yourself wrapped around me. How am I supposed to leave that?”

  Great even sleeping me wanted him.

  “I don’t think this is friend behaviour,” I point out, my gaze roaming down his body once more. I’m not a shy person, so I’m trying to restrain myself from opening his pants and seeing what exactly he’s working with down there. Going by the bulge he’s currently sporting, he’s huge. I lick my bottom lip, wondering what he tastes like. I’m about to look up at his face once more when he sits up and grips my chin in a firm hold.

  “How am I supposed to lay here and watch you look at me like that and not be able to do anything about it?” he rasps, eyes trained on my mouth.

  I open my mouth to reply when he kisses me. His lips press against mine, his hands now tangling in my hair. He licks at the seam of my mouth, begging entrance. I pull my face back. “What are we doing?”

  He grins wolfishly. “Want me to show you again?”

  I gently push his hands off me and stand up. “This,” I say, pointing between the two of us, “isn’t going to happen again.”

  His smile drops. “You’re telling me you didn’t feel that between us? Come on Tee, it’s like a fucking electric current every time we touch.”

  I don’t bother to deny it. “That’s not the point.”

  “Then what is?” he asks, jumping out of bed and standing before me.

  I rack my brain. “Ummmmm…”

/>   “Exactly,” he adds. His phone rings and he turns and grabs it from the table. “Hey Ryder? Yeah, I’ll be there soon man. I’m just at Tenielle’s. Yes I stayed the night.”

  I gasp, then jump on his back trying to get the phone from him. Ryder is the last person who I want in my business, and Saxon made it sound like we had sex, when we sure as hell didn’t. In fact, it was probably one of the most innocent nights I’ve had with a man since I was in my teens. He says bye and hangs up before I’m able to wrangle the phone from him.

  “You did not just say that to my cousin,” I say, sliding down his back and slapping him on his ass. Buns of steel I tell you.

  He ignores my comment and looks towards my bathroom. “Want to take a quick shower with me before I have to leave?”

  Seriously? “Yeah, I’m going to have to skip out on that one.”

  No matter how intriguing it sounds.

  Water dripping down that body…

  Snap out of it Tenielle!

  He shrugs like it makes no difference to him and heads into the bathroom. I stare at his retreating figure, then scrub my palm down my face and head into the kitchen.

  I hear the shower running and decide to do some yoga.

  I’m bent over, touching my toes when he walks into the lounge room, freshly showered.

  “Holy fuck,” he mutters as he watches me change positions.

  “Bye Saxon, it’s been… interesting,” I call out breathlessly from the mat on the floor.

  He tilts his head down to look at my face. “I’ll be here again tonight.”

  “What?” I ask. Surely I heard wrong? “Sorry I’m busy tonight.”

  “Doing what?”

  “I have to wash my cat,” I reply, saying the first thing that pops into my head.

  “You don’t have a cat,” he says, looking around.

  “Hair.”

  “What?”

  “I meant I have to wash my hair.”

  A slow spreading smile appears on his handsome face. “I can do that for you. Tonight.”

  Then I remember I actually do have something to do tonight. “Shit I forgot. I’m teaching the women’s self-defence class tonight at the recreation centre.”