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Wrapped up in grammatically measuring my level of intoxication, I got back to the kitchen to see Jake sitting where I’d been. I moved to sit up on the counter with Kase when Jake’s large hand engulfed mine. He tugged slightly and I fell back, landing on his lap with a yelp and a giggle.

With my crossed legs hanging over the side of his, I wrapped my arm around his shoulders and settled in happily. That happy became freakin’ ecstatic when his hand came to rest on my thigh, his thumb stroking.

“Piper, who did your ink?” Gage asked, watching us closely.

“My friend Ray owns a place called Exxxtreme. She’s done all my tats.”

“I’ve gotten inked by her,” Jet said, lifting his sleeve to show a Celtic knot covering his upper arm. “We’ve played shows at her man’s place.”

Ray, along with being one of the most talented tattoo artists around, was also one of the sweetest women. Her ever-changing hair was past shoulder length on one side and shaved on the other. Her ears were pierced multiple times, she had two lip rings, an eyebrow piercing, plus hidden ones. Both of her tattooed arms were covered in a whirl of designs and colors that showed her inner whimsical and romantic side.

While she wasn’t conventionally beautiful, she knew who she was and she rocked it.

Edge was a crazy hottie, emphasis on the crazy. Especially when it came to Ray. He was determined, unrelenting, and totally badass. He fell hard and fast for her.

It would be hard not to.

Ray, however, took her time. Her normally daring attitude flew out the window and skepticism took over when it came to getting involved with Edge. Thankfully he wore her down and her gentle temperament was the perfect match for his hard.

Edge owned Voodoo, a club in the area. Where Rye was known for being laid-back, Voodoo was a venue for high-energy live music.

“What do you have?” Gage asked.

I ran through my list, this time with no growl of annoyance from Jake. I did, however, get a whole different kind of growl when I moved on his lap to show my shoulder and back tattoos.

“Are the notes from a song?” Jet asked about my rib tattoo.

I used my fingers to tap the beat. “It’s the opening of Van Morrison’s ‘The Piper at the Gates of Dawn’.”

Gage nodded his head. Putting his elbows on the table, he leaned forward. “As a bona fide rocker hottie, settle a bet… Boring drummer or world-renowned lover and massively hung lead singer?”

“Seriously?” Jake snapped, though his lips were quirked up.

Gage raised his hands and shrugged. “What? It’s a valid question. For research purposes, of course.”

“So you have the facts to make an informed decision, though, I’m bigger and not boring,” Jet said. “Inventive. Imaginative. It’s heart-stopping, really.”

“Yeah, ‘cause they die of boredom,” Rocco said, before dodging the empty cup Jet threw at him.

I’m at Jet’s house pervin’ on rock star hotties! How is this my life?

Shh.

Don’t question it.

Go with it.

“Well,” I started through my laughter, “as much as I love a sexy voice, and I do, I have a thing for men that work with their hands. So, sorry Gage, this round would go to Jet.”

Jet stood up to do a thrusting victory dance. “Ha! Told you. In your face, fucker! I get the best chicks, woo hoo!”

“Damn, that doesn’t count then. She’s obviously biased. She’s here with the master of workin’ his hand.” Gage used his fist to make an obscene motion.

Jake made his own obscene, one-fingered gesture at Gage.

“Damn me and my voice of a fuckin’ angel,” Gage sighed. “I even told Jake when he was opening Hyde’s that he’d get so much tail.”

I couldn’t stop myself from momentarily freezing, my body going tight, at Gage’s words. Not about how much sex Jake had; that he got laid was not a bombshell. He was hot, smart, funny, and, it was worth repeating, hot.