In Too Deep, page 9
part #32 of Forever and Ever Series
She rolled her eyes. “Skye was efficient before Cayson came into the picture. She’ll be efficient when he’s not around as well.”
“Like she was with Zack?” My jaw tensed.
She turned her dark eyes on me. “Don’t mention him ever again.”
He’d become a taboo subject. “Sorry. I just need to look after her. It’s my job. I’m Cayson’s best friend. If I weren’t around, I would expect him to do the same for you.”
She lay down then fluffed her pillows. “Just don’t smother her. It might make her feel worse.”
“I won’t.” I slipped my hand under the t-shirt she wore then moved her underwear over.
Her hands immediately went to my biceps. “I don’t think it’s a good idea…”
I lifted her hips slightly off the bed then inserted myself inside her. “I make love to my wife every night. It doesn’t matter where we are or who’s down the hall.” One hand moved into her hair as I slowly thrust inside her.
Trinity resistance disappeared when she felt me. She dug her nails into my back then my ass. Her hair was sprawled across the pillow and her eyes were bright like they were on fire.
I watched her face and cherished it before I leaned in and kissed her gently. I loved to feel her in every way imaginable. My hands roamed over her body, feeling her soft skin and silky strands of hair. My lips felt hers, tasting them. Then I felt the tightness between her legs. She was wet and warm, like always. “I love you, Wife.” I lived for these moments, when our souls were connected and wrapped around each other. I remembered how our relationship started. It was meaningless and empty. But now she was everything to me. That dark part of my life disappeared when she brought the light.
“I love you, Husband.” She wrapped her long legs around my waist and pulled me further into her.
My hand moved over her hip, where the tattoo of my name was permanently engraved on her skin. I loved the ink on her flawless skin. It looked so sexy. And I loved the fact only I could see it. She branded herself, telling the world she belonged to me—and only me. “You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.” She already knew that so I didn’t need to say it. But I wanted her to hear it anyway. How else would I keep around a beautiful wife I adored unless I made her feel cherished every single day of our marriage?
***
The guys had their hearts settled on Dee to join the band. There was nothing I could do to dissuade them, especially since she was the best audition we had. And honestly, she was awesome. Her musicianship was off the hook, and she could really belt out a tune.
I asked her to meet me at the shop during business hours. I was the leader of the band so I made all final decisions. Dee and I hadn’t really had a conversation so I thought it was best if we talked away from the guys. Otherwise, their eyes would be rolling out of their heads and their dicks would be hard the entire time.
Dee entered the shop a little after lunchtime, looking like a typical musician with her guitar slung over her back. She wore black leggings with a black leather jacket. Her brown hair was shiny and wavy. It looked like it was done in a salon, and that was the only non-badass thing about her.
“Hey.” I rose from behind the counter and shook her hand. “Thanks for coming.”
She returned the embrace with a firm handshake. “Thanks for calling me.”
“Let’s talk in my office.” I headed to the door.
Dee glanced around the shop before she followed me inside. “You own this place?”
“Yes.” I sat behind my desk then pushed some invoices aside.
“Very cool,” she said. “Next time I need some ink I’ll come here.”
“You should head to Taboo Ink two blocks up. My dad is an artist there and he does the best work I’ve ever seen.”
A slow smile stretched her lips. “Your dad is a tattoo artist?”
“Where do you think I got all these from?” I raised my forearm and showed her.
“And you’re recommending him over your own shop?” Amusement was in her eyes.
“Hey, he’s the best,” I said. “There’s no way around it. My boys do a great job too but they just don’t have his years of experience. He’s been doing it since he was seventeen. So that’s been like…a hundred years or something like that.”
She laughed loudly and released a snort.
I eyed her and tried not to laugh. “You okay…?”
“Sorry.” She fanned the moisture from her eyes. “You’re funny.”
“Thanks…” I leaned back in my chair then propped my chin on my knuckles. “So, why do you want to be in our band?”
“Is this an interview?”
I shrugged. “Not really. I’m just curious.”
“I like your music,” she said simply. “I’ve been to a few of your shows.”
I wasn’t sure how much I believed her. “You kick ass on the guitar and you got a voice that makes Adele look like an amateur. Why would you want to be the back-up singer and second guitarist to a band? You’re too talented for that.”
Her cheeks blushed slightly. “I really love music. It’s my passion and the only thing I want to spend my time doing. However…I’m really shy. I don’t like to be on a stage in front of people and take all their stares. Being back up is exactly what I want.”
I guess that made sense. “That’s a shame because you’re amazing.”
“Well, thank you.” Even though she was shy she held her confidence. She didn’t seem easily intimidated and she had a backbone unlike most girls. “So, are you going to give me the part?”
“Well, what’s your schedule like?”
“I’m open. I don’t work.”
I cocked an eyebrow. “How do you manage that? Are you homeless?”
She wasn’t offended by the question. “No, I invented an app a few years ago and it brought me a lot of revenue. It’s outdated now but I’ve accumulated enough wealth to live off of for the rest of my life…as long as I budget.”
My eyes widened. “That’s really cool.”
“Thanks.” She added a shrug at the end.
I rubbed my chin while I composed my thoughts. “Do you have a boyfriend?” I sincerely hoped she said yes.
“Excuse me?” Her guard immediately came up.
“Sorry,” I said quickly. “I’ve got two guys in the band who both think you’re cute. If you have a boyfriend it makes my life a million times easier. Actually, it’ll make your life a million times easier since they’ll both be fighting over you.”
“Oh…” Her cheeks reddened in embarrassment. “No, I don’t.”
“Good luck with that,” I said with a laugh.
“Do you have a girlfriend?” She held my gaze as she spoke.
I held up my left hand. “I’m married.”
“That’s nice,” she said quietly. “How long?”
“Six months.” I grabbed a picture frame on my desk and turned it around. It was a picture of Trinity on our wedding day. It was a candid photo of her smiling. I was nowhere in sight but I loved the picture so much I had to keep it.
Dee examined it. “Wow…she’s beautiful.”
“I know,” I said with a smug look. “Why do you think I married her?”
She returned the picture frame to the desk. “Anything else you’d like to know?”
“No.” I rested my hands on the desk. “You’re in the band.”
Her face broke out in a smile. “Really?”
“Yep. If the guys give you any trouble let me know. I’ll set them straight.” I stood up and shook her hand. “We practice on Monday and Wednesday evenings.”
“I’ll be there. Thank you, Slade.”
“No problem.” I left the desk and walked her out. When I left my office, my dad was sitting behind the counter. He dropped by during the week pretty often. Sometimes I couldn’t tell if it was just to check on me or because he missed me. “I’ll see you later, Dee.” I waved as she walked out. Then I turned to the desk. “What’s up, old man?”
He was typing a message on his phone. “Who was that?”
“Dee.”
“And who’s Dee?” he asked in a bored voice.
“New guitarist for our band.”
Dad put down his phone. “What happened to Hawk?”
“Grew a pussy,” I explained.
“So you hire her?”
“Dad, she’s awesome. She’s one of the best guitarist’s I’ve ever seen. And she can sing—good.”
Dad didn’t seem thrilled. “And what does your wife think about this?”
I shrugged. “I haven’t told her.”
He cringed. “Slade…you were doing so well.”
“What do you mean?”
“That girl was pretty, covered in tattoos, and she plays the guitar…you really don’t see where I’m going with this?”
The accusation stung. “I would never cheat on my wife. I love her. I don’t even think that girl is pretty.”
He rolled his eyes. “That’s not what I meant.”
“Then be more clear, asshole.”
Dad gave me that look that told me I’d crossed a line. His eyes darkened and disapproval came over his face. “What did you just call me?”
I held my ground. “Don’t insult my commitment or my devotion to my wife. As long as you never do that again, I’ll never call you that.”
Fortunately, he calmed down. “That’s not what I meant and you know it.”
“Then what did you mean?”
The irritation was still in his eyes. “You think Trinity is going to be okay with you playing music with some pretty girl all the time?”
“I only see her a few times a week,” I said. “It’s not like I work with the girl. And Razor and Scotty have already called dibs on her. They wouldn’t let me near her even if I were single.”
Dad had the same look on his face.
“What?” I snarled. “I can’t interact with any other women ever? Unless I’m related to them?”
“It’s just…” He sighed. “She looks like your type.”
“My type?” I wasn’t sure what that meant. “My type is a pretty blonde with a nice ass—that’s my type.”
“You really don’t see where I’m coming from?”
A part of me did. “She trusts me. There’s nothing for her to worry about. I don’t even check out other girls, especially her. I picked her solely based on her musical abilities. It would be a disgrace to the band if I didn’t pick her. She’s awesome on the guitar, and even though she’s small, she’s got an impressive windpipe.”
Dad shrugged. “You know how women get…”
I would hope our relationship had changed at this point down the road. I trusted her, and even though the sleazebag Cory checked out my wife right in front of me, I didn’t overreact. I didn’t get jealous like I usually did. If I could mature and grow, so could Trinity. She had to trust me by this point.
“Talk to her, Slade.”
“Why? She never goes to band practices anyway.”
“You really don’t think Trinity will notice when she goes to a show?” he asked with a raised eyebrow. “Believe me, that’s not the best way to find out.”
I gripped my skull and sighed. “Dude, why is being married such a pain in the ass?”
He shrugged. “It’s not a pain in the ass all the time.”
I rubbed my temple. “I was doing so well and I hadn’t made a mistake…and here I am doing it again.”
Dad shook his head slightly. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. You haven’t done anything wrong. Just talk to Trinity.”
“But I can’t kick this girl out of the band. I already gave her the gig.”
“Talk to Trinity first then go from there.”
“Can you talk to her for me?” I asked seriously. “You’re better at this stuff than I am.”
He smirked slightly. “You’re better than you think.”
***
I entered Trinity’s office to pick her up. After I grabbed her, I would pick up Skye at the company then drive to Connecticut. I felt like a chauffeur taking care of these two women left and right. “Hey, baby.”
She was on the phone, and she covered the receiver as she spoke to me. “I’m almost done.”
“Take your time.” I came around the desk and stood behind her.
“Yes, tell Aaron that the shipments need to go out Wednesday.”
I wrapped my arms around her waist then kissed her exposed neck. I pressed her against the desk as my lips glided along her neck and into her hair.
Trinity tensed underneath me but in a good way. “Yes, that’s correct.” She tried to move me away but it was half-assed.
I pulled up her skirt slightly as I continued to kiss her. My hard-on was pressed against her, throbbing and hungry. My lips moved to her ear and I kissed the shell. “Your ass looks great in this skirt.”
Trinity tried to move away from me but that was pointless. “Thank you, Aaron.” She slammed the phone on the receiver. “Are you an animal?”
“Yes.” I groped her breast and continued to kiss her neck. “You can’t dress like that and expect me to keep my hands to myself.”
She pulled her skirt down. “Someone could walk in at any moment.”
“Ooh…a challenge.”
She pushed me away but there was a smile on her lips. “Let’s go. This can wait until we get home.”
“True. I feel like ass-fucking you anyway.”
She grabbed a pen from her desk and threw it at me. But she didn’t throw it hard so I knew she was more aroused than mad. “Pig.”
“Hey, I only think about ass-fucking you so it’s romantic more than anything else.”
“Yes,” she said sarcastically. “Ass-fucking is so romantic.”
I grabbed her bag from the table then shouldered it. “All this ass-fucking talk is making me really horny. Let’s hit the road.”
“I can carry my purse.”
“No,” I said as I moved away from her. “It’s got a laptop and a bunch of folders. It’s too heavy for you.”
“How weak do you think I am?” she asked as she put one hand on her hip.
“Not weak,” I argued. “Just pampered—by me.”
***
We left the city and ventured into the wide-open spaces.
“How was work?” Trinity asked Skye.
Skye looked out the window, her eyes lifeless and dull. “Okay.”
“Anything interesting happen?” Trinity asked. When the three of us were together, Trinity gave Skye her unwavering attention. She tried to distract Skye as much as possible with questions and conversations.
“We had a meeting today and Conrad killed it,” she said. “He’s really good at that stuff—better than me. I feel like people don’t take me seriously the second they look at me because I’m a girl. I have to spend half the meeting just convincing them I have this job because I’m qualified, not because I’m daddy’s little girl.”
“In their defense…you are daddy’s little girl,” Trinity teased.
“Well, they don’t know that,” Skye said immediately.
“Conrad is a badass now,” I said. “Years ago, I would have thought he was the last person to take over PIXEL. But now he’s the best one for the job.”
Skye nodded. “Conrad is very smart, strong, and charismatic. I’m really glad he’s there. I hate to imagine running the company without him.”
“You would have been fine,” Trinity said quickly.
“I know this is a weak thing to say but…he makes me feel safe. Investors or business partners don’t dare say or do anything when he’s around—and he’s always around.”
“What do you mean?” Trinity asked.
“Well, sometimes I see them glance at my chest or my legs,” Skye said. “But when Conrad is around, they only look at my face. Since my Dad and Mike won’t always be around, he’ll at least keep the men at bay.”
“You need to do that on your own, Skye,” Trinity said. “Don’t rely on a man to do it for you.”
“I know,” Skye said quickly. “It’s just nice having him there. He’s like a can of bug spray.”
I thought it was a smart idea to have Conrad around. After getting a first-hand experience in the life of a woman, I understood how vulnerable it was. Men saw you as a piece of meat, first and foremost. It didn’t matter how smart or professional you were. By basic instinct, women were always a sex symbol. I wish Trinity had a male partner, like Conrad or Theo. Or better yet, me. I’d definitely keep everyone in check.
“How’s his relationship with Lexie?” Trinity asked.
“Why are you asking me?” Skye asked. “He’s your brother.”
“We don’t talk about stuff like that,” Trinity said. “It’s like an unspoken agreement. He never asks about my marriage to Slade.”
“Yeah, that would be weird,” I said. “I have to watch what I say around him.”
“He seems really happy,” Skye said. “And I like Lexie. She’s sweet.”
“Yeah,” Trinity agreed. “She’s much better than that prissy know-it-all…at least Lexie hasn’t dumped him three times.”
“She’ll never dump him,” Skye said. “She’s so head-over-heels for him. It’s obvious every time I see her look at him.”
“I hope they stay together,” Trinity said. “I would love to see my brother married with kids—so would my parents.”
“It’ll happen,” I said. “Give it time.”
“I don’t know,” Trinity said. “Conrad was really heartbroken over what happened with Beatrice. I’m afraid he’s permanently scarred over that.”
“He’ll rise above it,” Skye said. “I know he will.”
This conversation was boring the shit out of me but it seemed to make Skye feel better because she was thinking about something other than Cayson. “What do you guys want for dinner?”
“I don’t know,” Trinity said. “Pizza?”
“How about some tacos?” I asked. “I’ve been craving that for a while.”
“Yeah, tacos sound good,” Skye said.
Trinity nodded. “Then tacos it is.”
***
After dinner we watched TV in the living room. Trinity sat beside me on the couch with her computer in her lap. She was working off the clock, like usual. My arm was over her shoulders but I wasn’t as affectionate with her as usual. I tried to be sensitive to Skye’s feelings and not act totally in love with my perfect wife.
