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  Pulling away for a breath, she asked, “Did you want a drink?”

  “Whatever you want.”

  She grabbed his hand and pulled him toward her bedroom. Closing the door and clicking the lock, she said, “We have to be quiet. Trish has to work early.”

  He took off his jacket and tossed it on her chair. “You sure about this?”

  “As long as it remains just between us, I’m totally sure.”

  He dipped his head and tasted her lips, but it wasn’t enough for her. Being alone with him, feeling the hard press of his body, all she could think about was getting him naked. She tugged at his T-shirt to feel the smooth skin beneath.

  He reached over his head and yanked the shirt off one-handed. That made one hell of a GIF for her to replay in her mind later. She kissed his chest and down his stomach. The bulge in his pants let her know he was more than ready to go. She unbuttoned his jeans and slid them down his hips. His dick strained against his boxer briefs. She stroked him through the cotton before peeling the waistband down and kissing the head.

  He groaned and stiffened. She lowered to her knees and took him in her mouth. He tangled his fingers in her hair again and guided her head. She hummed with the applied pressure and he grunted. He throbbed in her mouth and she got aroused knowing she knocked him as off balance as he did her.

  Hissing, he pulled away. “Come here.” He hauled her to her feet and pulled her clothes off. One minute she was dressed, the next, she wore nothing. He closed in again, but instead of feasting on her mouth he went for her neck. He licked and kissed and sucked until she was panting. His fingers moved to her boobs and tugged on her nipples.

  Gripping her hips, he pulled her forward, maneuvering her toward the bed. He shook his hips a couple of times to make his pants and underwear drop to his ankles and then stepped out of them. He kissed her again, and his dick prodded her stomach. His hands were all over, like he was a damn octopus, like he needed to touch every inch of her. Except the one place she craved his touch.

  “God, please touch me, already.”

  “I’m touching everything.”

  “You know what I mean, Hunter.”

  A wicked grin crossed his face. “Like this?” he whispered in her ear. His hand moved south and his middle finger slid across her slit. “Already wet.” He groaned again, the vibration of his voice weakening her knees.

  He banded an arm around her waist and kissed her like his life depended on it while his fingers stroked her until she trembled.

  “Please tell me you have a condom.”

  “In my jeans, but we don’t need it yet.”

  “Yeah, we do. I want you inside me now.”

  “I want you to come like this, right now.” His fingers thrust into her and his thumb circled her clit.

  With him moving like that, it wouldn’t take long. He felt so damn good. She clasped his shoulders for balance, her nails digging into his flesh. Her forehead thumped against his chest. Her orgasm spiked and Hunter kissed her to stifle her moan.

  He shifted and bent to pick up his jeans, but he kept one hand on her hip as if he thought she couldn’t stand on her own. He was right.

  Letting go of her, he sat on the edge of the bed and rolled the condom on. “Come here.”

  He pulled her close, nudging her legs wide with his knees. He wanted her to straddle him.

  She laughed. “I don’t think my legs have the strength for that workout.”

  “I got you covered.”

  She climbed onto his lap and he guided himself into her. She sighed as her eyes rolled back. Over the last two years she’d tried to convince herself she wasn’t missing much, but God had she missed this.

  With his hands on her ass cheeks, Hunter lifted her and brought her back down. When they connected, his pelvic bone bumped her clit, sending a shock through her. He eased back and created a calming rhythm.

  As her legs regained their strength, she began to move with him, but he never gave her full control. He moved her shoulders back so he could suck on her nipples again and she tightened on his dick.

  “I’m almost there. You?”

  “I’m good.”

  “You’ll be better.” He licked his thumb and rubbed her clit again as his mouth latched onto her nipple.

  The assault to her senses overwhelmed her. The octopus was back and he was all over her. The orgasm built again and she forced herself up and close to him. She wanted to be pressed against his body to feel his slick skin when she came. His hands moved back to her hips, his own pistoning quickly. She bit his shoulder as she came. Moments later, Hunter’s body stiffened and he pulsed inside her.

  They sat like that for a long time, with her sitting on his lap, head on his shoulder, his arms wrapped tightly around her. Their hearts raced in time, and their erratic breathing was the only sound in the room.

  Fingers on her back woke her. Sydney squinted against the sunlight and looked over her shoulder. Hunter traced her tattoo. A sharp rap on the door made her jump.

  “Hey, girl, you’re late for class. Get your ass in gear. I’ll see you tonight.”

  Sydney rolled over and slapped a hand on Hunter’s mouth. She waited until she heard the front door close. Panic stole through her. “Fuck. What time is it?”

  Hunter rolled away and checked his phone. “Eight thirty.”

  “Damn it.”

  “What?”

  “I have a nine o’clock class. That I’m obviously going to miss. Fuck.”

  “Shit. I’m sorry. You didn’t say anything last night and I didn’t think about setting an alarm. We were both pretty spent.” He sat up and swung his legs off the bed. “If we hurry, maybe you’ll make it for part of the class.”

  She climbed out of bed with tears clawing at her throat. How had she let this happen? The first time she slept with a guy since Tony and she was already fucking up. Gathering clothes from her dresser, she did everything she could to avoid making eye contact with Hunter. She knew it wasn’t his fault she’d missed class, but she wanted to blame him.

  “Hey,” he said from behind her. The heat from his body warmed her back. His arms circled her and he kissed her head. “You go take a shower and I’ll make you some coffee. You’ll get there. No big deal.”

  He had no idea how big a deal it was. This was how it had started last time. A missed class here or there. No big deal. Until it was.

  “Thanks,” she mumbled and left the room.

  By the time she got out of the shower and dressed, Hunter had a to-go cup of coffee ready for her. He was fully clothed, even wearing his jacket.

  “I left it black.”

  She dumped in a heaping mound of sugar. “Sorry to make you rush like this.”

  “No problem. I don’t have class until ten.” He pulled his keys out. “I’ll see you tonight, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Don’t forget the parking permit I gave you yesterday.”

  He pressed a quick kiss to her lips and walked out the door. Sydney stomped down the stairs and ran to her car. She hadn’t missed a class all semester, so this shouldn’t be an issue, but finals were coming up. It’d be just her luck that she’d miss something vital today.

  She needed to learn to not get caught up in a guy, stay on track. But Trish had been right. She missed having fun, and sleeping with Hunter had been fabulous.

  She continued her self-talk all the way to school. Hunter hadn’t been anything like Tony. There had been no manipulation to get her to sleep in and cuddle with him. Hunter had apologized for making her late and even made her a coffee. As much as she appreciated it, though, it was more than she expected or even wanted from a guy she was sleeping with.

  That evening, Sydney got a spot right in front of Hunter’s apartment, glad she already had the permit in her window. Nerves skittered through her. Her life suddenly felt very unsettled and that was all due to Hunter. She’d accepted that she wouldn’t have any relationships until after she graduated. She was okay with it. He was m
aking a mess of everything, but not necessarily in a bad way. She hoped.

  Grabbing her bag, she ran up to the house. The sound hit her through the door. Hunter was playing. That man knew how to play a ballad. If it wasn’t so freaking cold out, she would’ve stood on the porch and just listened. But the cold seeped through her layers, so she rang the bell.

  Less than a minute later, Hunter answered the door with his sax in hand. He wore a T-shirt and sweatpants. His hair hung loose and brushed his jaw. He swiped it back as she stepped through the door. Her eyes were drawn to his arm and the defined muscle that bulged there. “Hey.”

  “Aren’t you freezing?” she asked.

  “Nah. The apartment’s warm.” He turned and walked back into the front room.

  She closed the door behind her and followed. As she unwrapped her scarf and pulled off her jacket, she said, “You can finish. It sounded good from outside.”

  “I was just messing around, warming up.”

  She glanced at him. He looked like maybe he was embarrassed about her hearing. It didn’t fit her image of him. “I’d like to hear the rest.”

  “You’ll hear plenty as soon as the others show. How was school?”

  The switch of topic surprised her. They didn’t talk about school. They discussed music and marching band, their common interests. “Okay, I guess. I have some killer finals coming up next week.”

  “Me too. But then we have a month off to relax.”

  “Do you have gigs planned for the whole break? I mean, for the band.”

  “Yeah. We usually play a few extra nights since we have no class. I have to check with the bar. I’ll let you know when I have a schedule.” He watched her carefully as she took the spot behind the drums.

  “Is there a problem? Kevin’s not coming tonight, right?”

  “No. We’re, uh, having a New Year’s Eve party here. You want to come?”

  A party at Hunter’s house. A party was public, far from keeping their exploration a secret. “I don’t think so.”

  “Band will be over.”

  “But I still have to deal with band members after you graduate.”

  He waved a hand. “They’ll forget all about me by next summer.”

  Again, he had a point. New Year’s was still more than two weeks away. They might be done by then. “We’ll see.”

  The bell rang and Hunter went to let the guys in. Lance and Jay were together when Hunter came back. Sydney didn’t know if they traveled together or just had great timing. They both smiled and said hi when they saw her.

  “ ‘Bad Reputation’ must’ve been your contribution,” Jay said as he took off his coat.

  She blushed at the mention. When Hunter had given her the playlist for this weekend, “Bad Reputation” was a new addition. “Not my idea, but Hunter heard me playing it.”

  “I like it. Good choice.”

  Lance nodded in agreement. For the singer of the group, he didn’t seem to talk much. Their friendliness surprised her. She was only a temp, someone with no weight in the group, no real say, and she’d be gone in a few weeks.

  Although she wished Hunter hadn’t added a song for her, she appreciated it. Hunter didn’t say anything as they warmed up and got ready to play. In fact, he barely took notice of her. If only he could remember to do that at marching band practice, her life would be so much easier.

  “Let’s start with ‘Bad Reputation’ since it’s new,” Hunter said when they were all ready.

  All eyes turned to her. The attention overwhelmed her for a second. Hunter winked and the nerves eased. She counted off in her head and began to play. The song was easily one of her favorites, both because the beat was so strong and because the lyrics suited her. And Hunter, she suddenly realized. Lance began to sing, but he tripped up at the first verse because of the word girl.

  “I can’t sing girl. I can say I’m a lot of things, but that ain’t one.”

  Sydney snickered. “So substitute guy.”

  He smiled at her, his lips lifted at a crooked angle. “Maybe you should sing.”

  “Sorry. No one wants to hear that. I sound bad even in the shower.”

  Jay leaned over to see her around Lance’s shoulder. “Maybe we need a demonstration.”

  Hunter smacked him in the head, making Sydney laugh again. “Stop acting like you’ve never been around a chick.” He pointed at Syd. “From the top.”

  This time they made it through without a hitch. Then they played again, sounding even better. She’d forgotten how much fun it could be to play with other musicians. Marching band didn’t count.

  After “Bad Reputation,” they moved on to the rest of the set, which were all male-dominated fuck-the-world kind of songs. They were all so different from the music she heard Hunter play when he was alone or at Andy’s. She wondered if Lance and Jay knew about his other gig.

  Throughout the set, Hunter bounced between instruments. He played the sax, the keyboard, and even the guitar. He excelled at everything he touched. It made her remember his hands on her. Pushing the thought aside, she focused on the music. She didn’t want to miss a beat.

  She had a great time playing, and when they were done hours later, sweat trickled down her back and between her boobs. She’d have to remember to dress in easily removable layers for Friday night. As Jay packed up his guitar, he looked back and forth between Hunter and Sydney, like he wanted to ask something. Hunter seemed oblivious to it.

  She met his gaze and raised her eyebrows in question. He turned to Hunter and said, “Hey, man, could you grab me a bottle of water to go?”

  “Sure.” Hunter left the room and Jay came close.

  “Is there a problem?” she asked.

  “Nope. I like you. I like the way you play. But I see the way he looks at you. Is that going to be a problem?”

  How Hunter looked at her? She couldn’t even figure out what that meant. “How does he look at me?”

  “A cross between wanting to rip off your clothes and raise you on a pedestal.”

  “I agree with the first half. We have chemistry. You’re way off on the second, but there’s nothing to worry about. We’re having fun. That’s it.”

  “Make sure he’s on the same page. He’s my friend and I don’t want him to get screwed over.”

  Sydney’s skin prickled with awareness, so Hunter must’ve come back into the room. Jay stepped away, so she didn’t answer him, not that she had a clue what to say. Like she would ever have the power to screw Hunter over.

  Hunter tossed the water bottle at Jay. “What’s going on?”

  “Nothing,” Jay answered. “See you tomorrow night.”

  Syd watched them leave and tried to process what felt like a warning from Jay. Hunter reached out, handing her a bottle of water, too. She took it, drank a few gulps, and then asked, “Ready for your lesson?”

  “In a minute. What happened with Jay?”

  “Nothing.”

  “You looked spooked. Did he say something to upset you?”

  The flash of anger in his eyes made her realize he was gearing up to defend her again. “No. Actually, I think he’s trying to protect you. He asked what was going on between us. I told him we’re having fun and there was nothing to worry about.”

  “And?”

  “He told me to make sure you’re on the same page. Why’s that? Do I strike him as the kind of person who lies or something?”

  “Not you.”

  She’d stepped in it now. Hunter ran a hand through his hair, smoothing it back. She said nothing, unsure how to proceed. Luckily for her, Hunter continued.

  “I told you I’ve known Jay since we were teenagers.”

  Syd nodded.

  “In high school, I had this girlfriend, Shelly. We were in marching band and concert band, so we spent a lot of time together and had all the same friends. I thought we were serious.” He sat beside Sydney behind the drums. Their thighs touched, sending more warmth through her body.

  “Let me guess: She didn�
��t think it was serious.”

  He nodded. “She broke up with me and took our friends with her.”

  Sydney laid a hand on his leg. “That’s shitty. But it was also high school. We all have crappy high school stories.” And some, like her, had mistakes that extended into college.

  “Yeah. I’m over it.”

  He sounded sure of himself. Almost believable.

  “Wait a minute.” She nudged his knee with hers. “So I just got a if-you-hurt-my-friend-I’m-gonna-hurt-you talk from Jay?”

  “I guess so.”

  “I don’t know if I should feel honored or threatened.”

  “Honored. Totally.” He wrapped an arm around her neck and pulled her close for a quick kiss.

  She yanked back. “We’re not supposed to be doing this.”

  Chapter 8

  “You agreed to explore.” When she was this close, he had a hard time remembering any of her objections. He took an exaggerated look around the apartment. “Part of the deal was that no one from band could know. There’s no one here.”

  She sighed, knowing she had no argument. He moved in for another kiss. This time, she didn’t pull away. With his hand at her nape, her hair brushing the back of his hand, he guided her to him.

  She kissed like she played drums: all in.

  It had only taken a few minutes with their lips locked, tongues tangling, for her to surge forward. She climbed onto his lap, notching herself against him.

  His dick fought against his zipper for release. Hunter kissed along her jaw and down her neck. Her pulse thumped against his lips, and he tasted her sweat. She rocked her hips and he groaned. God, he wanted her naked.

  Sydney yanked a fistful of his hair to grab his attention. He looked up at her and moved toward her mouth again. She leaned back, keeping him at arm’s length.

  “We need to stop,” she panted.

  She was so hot against him. Keeping a grip on her hips, he shifted so she could feel how hard she’d made him. By kissing. A small whimper escaped her mouth before she pressed her lips closed.