Provoke_ A Seaside Pictures Novella (Seaside Pictures #3.7) - Rachel Van Dyken Page 0,34

I told you, you owned my heart?”

Neither of us answered.

But our bodies did.

And in that moment, all I kept thinking was, thank God I was spared.

Even if it was only for a day. It still meant I had her.

Chapter Fourteen

Piper

Five more days in his arms, that’s what the universe gave me, and I told myself to be thankful. Technically, my time was up next week. Even though I wasn’t still working for the production company, I was trying to help in small ways. Like attempting to get him to finish a full album and making sure he was nourished enough to do so. I even told my old boss not to send someone new, that I was doing this pro bono, that I refused to leave his side.

Braden was funny when he was writing; it was either food or sex or both. I still hadn’t told him who my interview was with. I was too terrified that he’d panic or say no.

And I knew his denial would break me, so I kept it to myself. I decided I’d tell him after the surprise.

I just hoped it worked. It was a last-ditch effort to get him to see that the world needed him and his music. I could only hope that he didn’t blame me or panic when he saw what we had planned.

That was the other problem. I’d been half hoping that Drew and Zane wouldn’t be able to work miracles that fast, but apparently, money talked. When they called me earlier that day and said that Project Free Braden—Zane’s idea, not mine—was a go, I was already mourning the loss of the man who’d stolen my heart with his words. Who made me sigh with his touch.

How did people survive knowing this sort of feeling and then suddenly living without it?

“So that was weird,” Braden said as he walked into the room wearing nothing but low-slung dark jeans that showed off his perfect chest and ramped up his wow factor.

I sighed, totally distracted by his ink and hard muscles.

“Hey, eyes up here.” He snapped his fingers. “I’m a person, not a piece of meat!”

I just shook my head. “Not what you said this morning when I had you in my mouth. Pretty sure you said something like, ‘Suck me like your favorite lollipop, and I’ll call you queen.’”

His grin was smug. “Hey, I’m not the best at dirty talk, all right. But that mouth…” His eyes zeroed in, and suddenly, my black sweater dress felt too tight, like I needed to take it off, get some air, and then some Braden.

“Eyes up here.” I winked.

“Yeah, that’s fair.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Anyways, Zane just called, which he never does. Thought the dude was in prison or something since he didn’t send a text, but he wants us all to go out since we only have a few days left.”

I swallowed the giant lump in my throat and nodded. “That sounds fun. Did he say where?”

Braden shrugged. “Said he’d text me in a few minutes. They wanna meet now, is that cool?”

“Yep.” I didn’t tell him I’d already gotten a text hours ago and had done my hair and makeup since I’d literally lived in Braden’s sweats for days, helping him focus and get on track with his music. “You better go put on a shirt so girls don’t just swoon at your feet though.”

He laughed. “I don’t think I’ve been this shirtless in a long time. And someone keeps stealing my sweats so…”

I bit my bottom lip and gave him an innocent look. “They’re comfier than my pantsuits.”

He gave me a stunned expression. “Does that mean we can burn them and stay naked?”

“Um, no. Because we still have to go outside this house.”

He pouted. “That’s not actually accurate. We can get groceries delivered, and food ordered like a date night in. Technically, I could keep you here as my prisoner.”

“I’d want nothing more,” I said honestly.

His face fell like he knew where my thoughts were headed, and then he was walking over to me and pulling me into his arms.

He would be leaving for his tour soon.

And if I ever wanted to see him again, I needed to ace my interview and hope he didn’t get pissed.

The future was so uncertain.

But I knew I could count on his kisses.

On his words.

His touch.

The way he protectively held me close and showed me that he was in this even when nothing was said between us. I clung to