Tempting Perfection, page 4
“Are we good?”
I glanced up and watched him for a second. He was clearly concerned. All his attention was on me.
Though I wanted Kurt in a way I couldn’t have him, I treasured his friendship. If this was all he had to offer, at least we were in each other’s lives. “We are. Roomies to the end. Maybe we should come up with a cheer.”
Kurt’s lips turned up while his gaze remained locked on mine. “What were you and Waldo up to this afternoon?”
I flicked my wrist and sniffed the flowery perfume sample on one of the pages of my magazine. “He needed some new ties, so we shopped. I think he may need an intervention. Four bags. How in the world can you buy that many ties?”
“Well, he needs the matching handkerchief, too.”
We laughed. It felt good to be on even ground with Kurt again. “How’d wardrobe fitting go?”
“Perfect. I love the additions to my jacket.”
Oh, so this was how we were going to play it. Fine by me. At some point, I’d try to get some rhinestones added to his leather pants to match his jacket.
“Good. I knew you would.”
A whimper came from the back.
“What was that?” Kurt asked, turning toward the hallway.
I plugged my nose. “I’ve had some sinus issues going on.”
Another whimper. Dammit.
George, be quiet.
I gave a screechy yawn. “Man, these sinuses make me sound so nasally. I’ll be right back. I need to use the bathroom.”
Another long, whiny whimper.
Scrambling off the couch, I hurried to the door. I turned and Kurt was right there. “Is that a dog I hear?”
“No.” I sounded guilty as sin. Shit.
“Sawyer.”
“Woof. Woof.”
Oh no, George be quiet.
“Last time I checked, dogs barked,” Kurt said.
“My sinuses are so crazy. It sounds like a bark.” I held my nostrils together.
Kurt raised his eyebrows at me. Okay, even I knew that was a terrible lie.
I held up my hands. “Listen. It was an impulse buy, but George won’t be any trouble. And I know snap decisions normally bite people in the ass, but this one won’t. He’s perfect. The perfect addition to our adventure.”
“George?”
“My lap poodle.”
“Lap poodle?”
“Yeah, a small, cute dog who won’t get any bigger than he is now. I bought him at the park. The lady was really nice. She’s from France and didn’t speak English fluently. Then, against Waldo’s will, I made him stop at the pet store for supplies. I stole his phone and threatened his life if he told you. Frank was clueless, too. He was in the restroom and found me innocently reading my magazine.”
“Shit, you have them on your side already?” He shook his head in disbelief. “Sawyer, we can’t have a dog.”
It was obvious Kurt was trying not to smile. I hurried into my room, and Kurt’s eyes bulged. “What is all this shit? It looks like you bought the entire pet department.”
This room was a mess. I was going to get hives thinking about it. “It’s George’s stuff. I’ll get it organized. I was in a bit of a rush to get it on the bus in Operation Don’t Let Kurt Know.”
“Woof. Woof.”
I rushed over to the crate and opened it. “Hey, sweet George. Meet your roommate. He’s a bit messy and swears like a sailor, but he’s nice enough.”
George, his tail wagging, walked right up to Kurt and sat down. “See how sweet he is.”
“Sawyer, we can’t—” Kurt’s eyes softened when they landed on the fluffy white ball.
Bingo. There was my open door. “Please. Please. Please. I’ve always wanted a dog. Pleeeaaaaaase.” I pouted my lips a little and put my hands together. “He’s official and everything. I have papers.”
George reached up on Kurt’s leg and whimpered to be picked up. Without thinking, Kurt lifted him up and held him. “Where are the papers?”
I was so close to having him convinced. Kurt absentmindedly petted George’s head as I retrieved the papers. After finding the envelope in my purse, I handed them to him. “I just have to fill them in and mail them. Isn’t he so soft and cuddly?”
Scanning the documents, Kurt snorted. His eyes met mine—they were full of laughter. What was funny? “Have you read these yet?” he asked.
“No, there hasn’t been much time. It was a race against the clock so you wouldn’t give him the boot and orphan my first dog ever.”
Kurt mashed his lips together before he proceeded. “What kind of dog did you think you got?”
I put my hands on my hips. “Why are you being so cryptic? I’ve told you. George is a lap poodle. I’m going to get him a little bag and everything. He’ll be so handsome as we traipse around America together. I’m thinking he needs a rhinestone jacket to match yours.”
In that moment, Kurt burst out laughing. “You got a labradoodle.”
Labradoodle?
Why is he laughing?
Kurt couldn’t stop.
“A what? The woman said lap poodle.”
“Hell, Sawyer. This is the best thing that’s happened. Good ol’ George is going to be over seventy pounds and huge.”
I gasped. “What? That’s more than half my weight. He won’t be a lap poodle? What about my cute little bag? I won’t be able to carry a seventy-pound dog.”
At this point, Kurt was nearly bent over laughing. George wiggled and whined, and Kurt set him down. “No, he won’t.” Kurt staggered to my bed. “Oh shit. This is the funniest thing ever. You wanted a cute little ‘lap poodle’ and you have a giant-ass labradoodle.”
I tossed a squeaky toy at him. “This is not funny. Not funny at all.”
Bending over, I picked up George. “Oh man. I can’t believe I did that.” I giggled. “I am so fucked.”
“Yes, you are.”
George cocked his head to the side. “I don’t care if you’re going to be huge.” I jutted out my lip. “Can I still keep him?”
Kurt stood, and his voice lowered in that sweet, sexy way. “Does it mean a lot to you to have this dog?”
“Yes. I always wanted one as a kid, but my parents were too busy. I’m like a doggie mom. And I swear George is already potty trained. I told him to pee and he did.”
Kurt’s face softened as he watched us. I waited with bated breath for the final verdict.
“George, welcome to the Reverence tour across America.”
Pitter-patter.
There went my stupid heart again.
Chapter Eight
Sawyer
We arrived at the stadium in the middle of the night. It hadn’t been a long trip, and the movement of the bus had rocked me to sleep. I woke to the sound of laughter coming from the kitchen/living area.
George.
I shot out of bed and ran to the crate. The door was open. Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh shit. I hadn’t even been a dog parent for twenty-four hours and I’d lost my dog. Or did he escape? I thought the crates were supposed to be dog proof. Maybe I had a genius dog?
“George!” I whisper-yelled. If Kurt knew I already lost him, I would never live it down. I strained for any sign of him. Nothing. Then I noticed my door was cracked open.
“Oh no! No! No!”
In a near panic, I dashed out into the hallway and stopped in my tracks. The band members all sat on the couch. George was curled up on Kurt’s lap.
“Oh geez, there he is.” I put my hand to my heart. “I thought he escaped.”
“Morning sleepy—” Kurt stopped midsentence.
All eyes swung my direction. I could feel the eyes lingering on me. After a moment or thirty, the silence became a little uncomfortable.
What am I missing?
Cheerfully, I responded, “Morning,” as I walked up to George. I ruffled his head, but he didn’t move. “What’s wrong with him?”
“Umm…maybe you should change.”
I looked down at my boy shorts and tank top. They were cute and covered more than my swimsuits. The set was one of the new things I’d gotten from Victoria’s Secret while in Destin. But in the depths of Kurt’s blue eyes I saw lust, and I liked it.
I shrugged. “There’s nothing wrong with my pajamas.”
“Those are not pajamas.”
“Umm…yeah they are.”
“No, they aren’t.”
I laughed. “Kurt, you are not overruling Victoria. She says they’re pajamas.”
“Victoria?”
“Yeah, Victoria.”
“Well Victoria’s wrong.”
The other band members watched us with intrigue. But I refused to give on this point. I rolled my eyes and noticed George still wasn’t moving. “What’s wrong with George?”
“I took him outside and wore him out.”
Again, my insides turned into a gooey mess. Before my face betrayed me, I turned to go to the cabinet. “Oh, you made coffee. You get the roommate of the day award.”
Kurt mumbled something, and I heard movement behind me. The drummer, Harlem, said, “See ya, Sawyer. We’re going to go back to our bus.”
With him was Edge, who played bass, and Razor, the lead guitarist. I liked them—they were nice guys. They didn’t seem to mind me, either.
I turned, coffee cup in hand. “You guys don’t have to leave so soon.”
Harlem glanced to Kurt, then back to me. He tucked his long brown hair behind his ears. “We have things to take care of.”
Hopefully they weren’t leaving because of me. “Okay, I’ll see you at the stadium later. Are we still going out tonight?”
“Hell yeah, we are!” Sykes said as he ran his hand over his freshly shaved head. Until last week, he’d had long hair like Harlem.
Putting my knuckles out, I waited for Harlem to bump mine. “Hell yeah. We going to bust a move tonight, homie.”
“You bet! We’re gonna rock the house down.”
The guys laughed and exited the bus. I liked Kurt’s bandmates. They were fun. It was a tight-knit group without much drama. Yeah, they partied and had a good time, but they kept it in check.
Kurt laid George on the couch. The dog lifted his head, looked around for a moment, and then went back to sleep. “Man, he’s worn out.”
“Sawyer, you cannot wear stuff like this in front of the guys!”
Seriously, we’re still on this? I took another sip. “Well, I say I can. I’m sure they’ve seen more. And these are pajamas. It’s not like I’m coming out here naked.”
“Sawyer…” Kurt seemed to be at a loss for words as he dragged a hand through his hair.
I winked. “It’s a good thing you don’t get a vote in what I wear or I’d be shit outta luck for pajamas on this road trip.” As if conspiring with him, I leaned in and whispered, “I think being sans pajamas would be worse.”
Kurt folded his arms over his chest.
Checkmate. I win.
I looked at the color-coded calendar on the fridge. “You have a sound check in two hours. Then Waldo wants to meet with you. After that, you’ll have a few hours before you’re needed back at the arena. Did you need anything from me today?”
His eyes brightened. “Yes, I do. Can you run to the store for me?”
“Sure, what do you need?” I reached for the notebook I’d put in the drawer last night. One thing I needed to figure out was how to organize the stuff in a limited amount of space.
There was a pause, and I looked up to find out what I needed to accomplish.
“For you to get some pajamas that cover you.”
I laughed heartily and grabbed my cup and my notebook. Sashaying back to my bathroom, I called out, “You are a funny, funny guy, Mr. Glitter Sparkles. I’m going to take a shower.”
Behind me, Kurt cursed, which only made me smile bigger.
* * *
Later, at the arena for the sound check, Kurt was on stage with the band, working through the different settings. Lunch had been served. The most delicious sushi I’d ever tasted.
Nina, the costume designer, approached me. “It’s going to be a good tour. The band sounds better than they ever have.”
“I think so, too.”
Nina had worked with Kurt in wardrobe from the beginning. She was a petite redhead, and I found her to be a kindred spirit. Beside me, she chuckled. “I can’t believe Kurt let the rhinestones on his jacket stay. When he asked who’d made the addition, his jaw locked.” She giggled. “You are good for him.”
Well, not good enough.
Stop. We’re past this. Roommates.
I snapped my fingers. “I’ve been meaning to ask if you can do them on his pants pockets. One with a K and the other with an H.”
“You got it.” She pulled out her phone to make the note. “So, can I ask you something?”
Hmm, that didn’t sound like it was going to be my topic of choice. “Of course.”
“I thought after LA at Thanksgiving…you guys might be an item.”
Me, too.
So, Nina had noticed our chemistry. I’d wondered if anyone had. I kept a neutral smile in place. “Turns out we’re better roommates than an item.”
I needed a subject change. Thankfully, Nina was called away, but then Kurt’s soulful voice filled the area. For a second, I let myself watch him as if he were mine. He moved with the music. It was as if he was part of the notes floating through the air. Chills erupted on my skin as he took a step toward the stage holding a longer note. Kurt was born to be a rock star.
“Sawyer.”
Turning, I saw my brother and his fiancée. “Cameron! Oh my gosh! What are you guys doing here?” I ran up to him and threw my arms around his neck. “I wasn’t expecting to see you.”
He hugged me back. Ever since Mattie passed away, followed by Adriane the following year, we’d been closer than ever. In truth, he was the only person I talked to about it. “Thought we’d come see you for New Year’s.”
At first, I hadn’t liked Monica, but she’d grown on me. She’d just needed time to open up. I released Cameron and turned to her. “Hey, future sis. How are you?”
She beamed, her emerald eyes shining with happiness. “Good. We got in late last night.”
“Well, if it’s not Sawyer Wade.”
I froze at the sound. The deep voice was one I hadn’t heard in a long time. Since my junior year in college.
Jordan.
Oh hell. Swallowing hard, I turned. “Hey, Jordan.”
Once upon a time, Jordan and I had been fuck buddies when I used to visit Cameron in college. But after he graduated, things fizzled between us. He wanted the fast lifestyle of LA. I wanted to stay home in Orlando. Inside, I felt a little unsettled. Whenever we were together, we burned up the sheets. Man, the guy knew how to fuck. But it was nothing compared to what I experienced with Kurt.
I fidgeted, unsure what to say.
“So, you’re traveling America now?” Jordan asked.
My mouth grew dry. “Yeah, in a tour bus. What are you doing here?”
He smiled, showing his perfect white teeth. Did I mention how well he kissed? Yeah, those lips could do sinful things. He put a hand in his slacks pocket casually. “Cameron called last night and invited me out tonight.”
“Great. Yeah, we’re all going to a club the band says is fantastic.” I sounded completely unnerved, and I hated that.
Jordan loved it, though. He always loved pushing my limits. I needed to get out of this situation and get some fresh air. Before I could escape, the air changed, and I knew Kurt was close.
“Cameron, good to see you. Monica, you’re looking beautiful as always.”
Monica blushed at Kurt’s friendly compliment. “Thank you. Oh, and thank you for the invite out tonight. I’ve never been to LA.”
Invite? Kurt arranged this?
“Any time.” Kurt turned his attention to Jordan. “Kurt Hendrix.”
Jordan stuck his hand out. He was dressed nicely, with his dress shirt rolled up at the sleeves. Apparently, he had done well for himself. “Jordan Stiles. Nice to meet you. I’ve been a fan for a while. Looking forward to tonight.”
“It should be a good time.”
There was something off about Kurt. It was subtle, but I noticed it.
Jordan’s eyes stared straight into mine. “Yeah, it should be.”
Oh hell, I knew that look. Normally, it ended up with him in between my legs. I was in deep shit. What do I do? My heart wanted someone I couldn’t have. Is it a bad idea to have fun with my body to get Kurt out of my head?
Chapter Nine
Sawyer
In the bathroom, I ringed my eyes with black eyeliner to give them a smoky look. My backless glittery halter exposed a lot of skin. Only two strings kept it in place. Black leather pants molded to my skin. I felt sexy and wanton. All I could think about was Kurt running his hands across my nipples from behind as we danced. Man, my imagination had been running wild.
Of course, that wasn’t going to happen with Kurt. Roommates. But I couldn’t make the images stop.
As I was fighting to put those thoughts out of my mind, a text came through from an unknown number.
Unknown: Hey, it’s Jordan. Cameron gave me your number.
Oh no. I threw my head back. Why me?
But I was a grown woman, and I could handle this. I responded back.
Me: Hey.
Jordan: I’m riding with Cameron and Monica to the club after the concert. Do you want us to pick you up tonight?
Before I had a chance to respond, I got another text.
Jordan: You would spare me from having to be the third wheel. And we could bring you to the concert.
What in the world was I supposed to do? Deep down, part of me was looking for an escape from Kurt. If Jordan offered it up, I might end up using him to fuck Kurt out of my mind. But then it would be truly over with Kurt.
“Sawyer?”
Startled, I placed my hand on my heart and whirled around. “Shit, you scared me.”
He gave me his debonair smile. “I just spoke with Frank. He’s going to take care of George.”
