Entangled (The Accidental Billionaires #2) - J. S. Scott Page 0,40
to say.
He kept tabs on me by looking at me frequently, and it nearly made me break down into tears.
That’s how good he was.
He glanced at me and winked, and my heart almost flew out of my chest because it was beating so fast.
Thump-thump!
Thump-thump!
Thump-thump!
I could hear the rapid rhythm pounding in my ears like it was measured to the beat of the song Aiden was belting out.
It was surprising when the tune started to crescendo, and another male voice sang along in harmony near the end of the song.
Xander.
He wasn’t in the spotlight, but was sitting on a stool in the dark on the other side of the stage.
Shivers ran down my spine as I absorbed the words of the song and the emotion that was threaded through the notes.
And then there was silence, and a burst of enthusiastic applause that I joined once I got over my shock.
It was clear where my daughter had gotten her musical talent.
And it sure as hell hadn’t come from me.
CHAPTER 15
AIDEN
I hopped down from the stage, not caring if it was going to kill me to dance with Skye.
I’m doing it anyway.
I wanted her.
I needed to have her soft, silken body plastered against mine.
Since my dick was constantly hard when she was within sight, what the hell did it matter if I was actually touching her or not?
Maybe I was a masochist, but I knew I couldn’t resist the chance to have her that close to me.
“Dance with me,” I said, forgetting that I was supposed to be requesting things from her.
I wasn’t giving her a chance to say no this time.
I needed to feel her in my arms. I needed to know she was safe. That no bastard was ever going to touch her again—except me. Maybe I was a dick sometimes, but I sure as hell would never hurt her intentionally. And just the thought that someone had tortured her for years nearly made me come unglued.
She reached for my hand, but I took her arms and wound them around my neck, and then pulled her whole body to me by locking my hands behind her waist.
Luckily, Xander had started one of his moody ballads that made our position work perfectly so we swayed to the music, our bodies perfectly in tune.
“You were amazing,” she said, sounding slightly breathless. “And you were wrong. You don’t rival John Legend. You’re just as good, with your own style.”
I put my mouth against her hair. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, but I’m an amateur, and I’ve never wanted to play or sing for anybody but family. It’s just a hobby.”
“Are you saying you never had dreams of fame, even when you were younger?”
“That’s exactly what I’m telling you, sweetheart.”
“Too macho for music?” she teased.
“Nope. I just don’t like performing in front of a crowd. I give guys like Xander credit for their balls. They’re willing to put themselves out there. But it’s not fame that drives my interest. I just . . . like doing it.”
“Nothing wrong with that,” she answered with a sigh. “I like to do needlepoint, but I’ve never wanted to sell my work. So I get it.”
“Some things we just do for fun.”
“But . . . well . . . you’re pretty good at your fun stuff,” she said softly.
“I’ll play for you and Maya anytime you want,” I offered.
A light bulb appeared to go on in her head. “You could actually teach Maya.”
I shook my head. “No. She needs to learn the right way. After I got the basics from a few volunteer teachers, I was self-taught. I do a lot of things by ear. She’s better off with a real music teacher.”
“Ah, well, she likes her new teacher, anyway,” she answered. “It’s good for her. I never really had the money to let her do many extra things. And when I was married to Marco, I was afraid to ask for anything.”
Fuck! I hated the fact that Skye had ever been so damn scared that she couldn’t ask for something for our daughter. And probably nothing for herself, either.
This beautiful woman had lived in a prison without physical bars, but a situation that was, in reality, a hell of a lot worse than being in a real detention center.
I closed my eyes and breathed in Skye’s tempting, flowery scent, an aroma that was so uniquely hers, and so damn alluring that my cock was at full attention and begging me to get her naked.