Page 6 of Stuck With My Rockstar Boss (Soul Sounds Brothers #4)

Mika

I stretch out along my beach towel, gazing out at the Atlantic.

The ocean is bluer than blue if that were possible.

Beside me, Lucas lies face down on a towel, a sheen of sunscreen on his back, making his skin glimmer.

He had me rub it in for him earlier. I ran my hands along his broad shoulders, his trapezius muscles, the small of his back.

It almost felt intimate if it weren’t work.

Who am I kidding, it felt intimate even though it’s work.

It’s a Wednesday. Even though the beaches are always busy in Miami, it’s less busy than I thought, which is great for our purposes.

Of course, we’re rather out in the open and if the paparazzi get wind of this we may be in a world of trouble.

It’s not evidence or proof if we’re just hanging out together.

It would just blow our cover. And I feel responsible for making sure Lucas’s situation isn’t any worse than it already feels to him.

“You mind if I go down to the water and stick my feet in?” I ask.

Lucas grunts affirmatively. “Go ahead. Doubt anyone can recognize me with my head in the sand.”

I laugh. It’s true. He’s face down and has an army green sun hat on, the kind dads wear while gardening.

Unless someone recognized the splotch of the tattoo on his shoulder blade, a spiraled snake that seems to dip over and under his skin.

It looks like it cost a lot of money for how artful it is.

“Okay. Let me know if you need anything.”

He holds up his hand and gives me a thumbs up.

I go down to the shoreline and dip my toes in the frothy spray.

Chillier than I expect. I move out a little farther, relishing the feeling of the wet sand under my feet, until the water is up to my ankles.

I stand there, basking in the Miami sun.

The expanse of the ocean is so intimidating.

The fact that beyond it, the rest of the world is calling.

It fills me with hope, this call to adventure.

Maybe someday I’ll have the money to do it on my own.

Go backpacking through Europe, hike up Kilimanjaro, snorkel through the Great Barrier Reef.

Maybe someday.

“Beautiful day.”

I look askance. An older man appears in my vision, tanned to the gods, with hair that’s silver at the temples. Even though he’s much older than me, he’s got a body that a thirty-year-old could be jealous of. He smiles at me. Way too white.

“Yeah,” I say with a smile and then look back out at the horizon.

“Just visiting?” he asks and takes a step closer to me.

I chew on the inside of my lip. Comes with the territory, being a woman out on your own, but I always hate it when I’m approached. “Here for work.”

“Oh, what do you do?”

“I sing,” I say and immediately wish I had come up with a lie.

“You sing ? You here on tour?” the man asks raising his eyebrows with interest.

I swallow. “Yeah. I’m just a backup singer, though.”

“Oh, you? In the background? No way. You’ve got star quality,” he says, spreading his hands. No ring on his ring finger, gorgeous Rolex on his wrist.

“What’s star quality?” I say, smirking.

The man takes a step closer to me and almost wraps his arm around my shoulder. He points down the beach. “I spotted you from all the way down there. You’re radiant. Tell me that’s not star quality.”

I don’t reply, trying to remain pleasant.

“I know some people in music. I myself don’t know anything about it. But why don’t you join me on my yacht while you’re in town? Tonight. And I’ll introduce you.”

“You know, I really don’t have time to–”

“ Nonsense ,” he says adamantly and touches my waist. “I insist.”

“Babe, this guy bothering you?” Lucas calls out from behind me.

The man’s hand jerks away from my waist and we both turn. Lucas walks over toward us, head held high, green eyes darkening.

“We’re just talking,” I say with a serene smile. “Right?”

The man looks between the two of us and starts to back away. “Sorry, yes. Just… talking. You know how it is,” he tries to joke with Lucas, but he’s not biting. I’m amazed at how this man’s smoothness just disappeared. If I had tried to reject him, he would have gotten more aggressive.

Lucas wraps his arm around my shoulder. I feel so safe as he pulls me into his chest. “No, I can’t say I do,” he replies to the man and then whisks me back to our towels. “You okay?” he asks in my ear.

“Yeah, yeah,” I readjust my bikini top. It’s tiny, but it’s Miami. All the girls are wearing skimpy bikinis. “Thanks for–”

“Did he do anything weird?”

I shrug. “Just touched my back, I–”

“Fucking cretin,” Lucas mutters, glaring back to the ocean.

I decide not to look back. That guy will just make my stomach flip. “Thanks for coming in and… chaperoning me,” I say with a half-hearted smile.

He shakes his head, unsmiling. “No thanks needed, Mika. You shouldn’t have to deal with that.”

I couldn’t help my heart flutter. It felt so nice that he was looking out for me, just like I was looking out for him.

“Fuck,” he says, running his hand over his jaw. The scratch of his bristling facial hair sends a shiver down my spine. “I’m sorry, I hope I didn’t scare you.”

“What are you talking about?” I scoff. “You helped me, I’m not–”

“I can just get a little overprotective. That’s what my little sister always says.”

I smile. He’s mentioned his sister, Amy, from time to time. It makes sense he’d be so protective. “Well, I appreciate it. Doesn’t feel like too much to me.”

We are both quiet for a moment. “You wanna grab some dinner?” Lucas asks finally.

I agree; I’m starving from being sun-soaked.

We find a divey tiki bar at the end of the beach. “Seems like half of traveling is drinking watered down cocktails,” I say, after ordering a pina colada.

“That’s what happens when you order sweet drinks like pina coladas,” he replies, twisting the words pina colada in a teasing way.

“Hey! I like a pina colada now and then. What’s wrong with a pina colada?”

Lucas grins. “Nothing! Just don’t be surprised when they forget the rum.”

In this case, though, they certainly did not forget the rum.

So much so they’ve put a shot of it right on top so there’s a little pool of amber liquid with an island of pina colada in the center, decorated with a skewer of cherries, pineapple, and, of course, a fun yellow umbrella as well. “Forgot the rum my ass,” I murmur.

Lucas bursts into laughter. “Fine. I’m not too proud to admit when I’m wrong.”

“Thank god,” I say after a sip of pina colada. “Because this shit is strong .”

I’m drunk after only an hour. Like drunk drunk.

The rum and sugar are like a Molotov to my brain.

And the Caribbean beats flowing from the band are sending sparks through my body.

And Lucas… well, he’s enjoying himself. We probably should have made a rule about me drinking on the job, although I throw a mean left hook when I’m drunk.

His eyes are lazy with drink. Mojito. After I cajoled him away from cervezas. “You like the music, hm?”

I realize I’ve been bobbing my head up and down, tapping my hand on the bar. “It’s a good beat. I like things you can dance to.”

“You like to dance?”

I nod. “Oh, hell yeah. Who doesn’t?”

Lucas’s lips quirk to the side. “People with no rhythm.” He stands up off his bar stool and holds out his hand to me. “Lucky for you, I don’t have that problem.”

I hold my breath. I know he’s talking about dancing, but I can’t help but imagine his rhythm in other matters. “Of course, you don’t. You’re…” I lean in and whisper in his ear, “A rockstar.”

“I know you think you’re whispering, Mika, but you’re actually really loud,” he says with a grin. “Come on.”

I know I shouldn’t. I should actually order some food and sober up.

I’m not good as a chaperone like this. But his hand, right there before me, extended with his marvelous fingers.

His gaze is inviting and tempting. Like the ocean.

I want to know what’s on the other side.

I take the last, watered-down sip of my drink and put my hand in his. “Let’s see if you can keep up with me.”

“Hey, it’s not a competition…” he drawls, guiding me onto the dance floor that is peppered with a few couples. “…we’re just dancing.” Lucas tugs on my arm and positions me in front of him. He gently wraps his hand around my waist. “This okay?”

“Oh, we’re like dancing dancing,” I say with smile and put my hand on his shoulder.

Lucas laughs, tilting his head back, exposing his Adam’s apple. Man, I’d love to kiss his neck. “Is there any other way?” He takes my free hand in his and holds it up to shoulder height. Lucas is taller than me, not overbearingly so, but I still feel so dainty in his arms. “Ready?”

I nod. Easily, we fall into a cha-cha rhythm, or feet balancing front and back. It’s remarkable how easy it is and how good he is at leading me around the floor. And he’s not just moving his feet; his hips work in tandem. Every time I glance down and see the roll of his hips, I feel faint.

“You do a lot of Latin dancing?” I ask.

“I’ve picked a few things here and there,” Lucas replies and jerks my arm up to spin me around.

I let out a loud laugh and trip back into his arms.

“Careful! You really are drunk, aren’t you?”

“Wasn’t it obvious?” I say, biting my lip.

Lucas’s eyes fall from mine to our feet, counting the beats of the music.

He really is a natural when it comes to rhythm.

Imperceptibly, we draw closer and closer until our fronts gingerly brush up against one another.

It’s what the dance calls for, right? The heat and passion of the music. It’s just a part of it.

Right?

We pass an older couple who give us jolly grins and we exchange pleasantries and encouragements.

The older man suggests we trade partners and Lucas laughs, “Not a chance.” His hand tightens on my waist. Protective or…

possessive. He needs me. Even if it’s just to make sure he’s untouchable… he needs me.

God, that makes me want him. And I can’t want Lucas Tremaine. My life depends on it.

I look up at Lucas. The song is winding down which means it’s hitting its climax. His green eyes are barely visible around his swollen pupils. His mouth hangs open, catching his breath, but he smiles at me.

If I had one more drink in me, I’d kiss him. If I was just a little bit more willing to say “fuck it” and give into the adventure.

But I can’t. I just can’t.

I break away from him suddenly. “Bathroom!” I mutter quickly and then stumble off the dance floor to the back of the bar. I follow the signs to the restrooms and lock myself in the women’s which is marked only by a wrought iron mermaid on the door. So dumb.

I go right to the sink and lean over it to catch my breath.

I look up into the mirror. I’ve got a bit of a sunburn on my cheeks.

And my hair looks greasy. I need a shower.

A cold one. I turn on the water and splash a bit on my face which always seems to work in movies but does nothing for me now.

What is happening? Why is it happening? It’s just Lucas.

I know Lucas! I’ve been around Lucas before… never this close, but–

There’s a knock on the door. “Mika? You okay?”

“Shit. Yeah. Sorry.” I dart over to the door and throw it open. His eyes are wide and worried. “I felt faint, I just–”

“I got so worried, I–”

“I won’t drink so much next time. That was totally out of line.”

Lucas doesn’t speak for a moment. Recognition passes over his face, as if he remembers what this actually is. What it’s always been.

Business.

“Right…” he says quietly.

“We should go,” I say with a sheepish smile. “Hit the sack. Orlando tomorrow. We could hit Epcot. Drink around the world. Or you could drink around the world. I’ll just watch. Anyway.” I brush past him to avoid him being able to see how embarrassed I am and how bad I’m flushing.

We drive back in silence, except for the radio. A Soul Sounds song comes on: “Snake in the Grass”, which Lucas immediately turns off. It was their first big hit. They have to play it at every concert. I’m sure he’s tired of it, just like Robert Plant is tired of ‘Stairway to Heaven’.

“I’m sorry,” I say smally.

“Hm?”

“I’m… I’m sorry. That was just really uncool of me.”

Lucas frowns, not looking away from the road. “What are you talking about?”

“Just. I’m meant to be looking out for you. Not the other way around. That’s all you did today.”

“You’ve saved me more times than I can count. In much worse positions than this.”

I think about what happened at the end of last tour. The details I don’t know. I just know it sounded like he needed help, so I called security. That isn’t anything. That isn’t…

The car rolls to a stop light. Lucas drops his hands into his lap and looks over at me. “Mika. You know that’s not how this works right?”

“It’s exactly how it works. I’m supposed to–”

“Chaperone. Not take care of,” he says.

“But you pay me.”

“Yeah, because why should you have to lug me around town or walk with me back out to the bus when I forget my phone?”

“I just want to help,” I say.

Lucas laughs. “And you do. You take my mind off everything. You had me dancing in the middle of a tiki bar. I can’t do that with anyone else right now.”

His face is so soft looking. Still with all the angles, but so vulnerable and gentle.

“You make me feel normal, Mika. Thank you.”

I’ve never been so happy for someone to tell me that I made them feel “normal.” Normal has always felt like a nasty word. But for Lucas to feel normal when we’re together? That’s the best fucking compliment I’ve ever gotten.