Rock Me Faster (Licks of Leather #4) - Jenna Jacob Page 0,27
“You ever been to a concert?”
“No. Yours will be my first.”
“Ever?” he barked. I nodded as my cheeks grew warm. “You don’t like music?”
“Goodness, no, I love it.”
“Then why haven’t you ever been to a concert? We’ve played Louisville and Lexington more times than I can count. Hell, back in the day when we were first starting out, I think we played every bar in Kentucky.” He narrowed his eyes, sending my heart rate doubling and my stomach tumbling. “You live in a convent or something?”
“No.” I chuckled. “It’s just, I…” Don’t know how to drive, let alone own a car, and haven’t even been to Lexington. I’ve only been to Louisville once, with my dad, when I was ten.
“I hope everyone is good with seafood for lunch,” Quinn interrupted.
“I could go for some hot, juicy fish tacos,” Syd replied with a mischievous grin.
“I’m sure you could, but you’re not having them at our table,” Quinn drawled.
“Grow the fuck up, Syd,” Ross groused.
The undertone of a joke was threaded in their conversation, but I wasn’t going to ask about it. I’d embarrassed myself enough for one day.
“Never going to happen,” the bass player announced with a laugh.
“Harmony, is seafood okay with you?” Quinn asked.
“Sure.”
“Let me guess,” Ross began, drawing my focus back to him. “You’ve never eaten seafood before, either, have you?” Since I wasn’t sure if tuna in a can qualified, I shook my head. “I take it back. You haven’t been living in a convent, you’ve been living under a rock.”
“Why are you being so mean to her?” Mia bit out.
“I wasn’t being mean. I was…teasing.”
“Quick, somebody call Ripley’s…Ross is trying to be funny,” Ozzy barked in feigned shock.
“Fuck off, all of you,” Ross snarled before turning to me with a tender expression that made my heart thud. “I wasn’t trying to—”
“It’s okay,” I assured before trying to wedge my foot through the tiny opening Ross had made in his wall. “But can I ask a favor?”
As soon as the question left my lips, I felt him slam the narrow gap shut.
“What?”
“Would you mind explaining the items on the menu if I have questions?”
“That’s what waiters are for,” he snapped harshly.
His biting waves of annoyance scraped my flesh. Ross hadn’t simply shut me out, he’d slapped a heavy padlock in place as well.
“I take it back,” Mia snapped. “You’re not being mean…you’re being an asshole.”
“Let it go, baby,” Ozzy whispered.
Disgust lined Ross’s face as he exhaled a curse. “If you have questions, Harmony, go ahead and ask. All right?”
I knew capitulating had cost him dearly. Still, I couldn’t help but hope I was watching him take his first baby steps toward healing.
“I appreciate it.” I smiled softly.
“Look at you, playing all nice and shit with others,” Syd teased. “You feeling okay?”
“Okay enough to rip off your head and shit down your throat, smart-ass.”
Unfazed by Ross’s violent threat, Syd threw his head back and laughed.
A minute later, the bus pulled to the curb and stopped. Standing, I started toward the door, when Quinn called my name.
“Yes?”
“Aren’t you forgetting someone?” he asked, pointedly looking at Ross.
“Oh, I thought we were only supposed to play our parts when—”
“When you two are anywhere in public.”
“Got it.”
Even without the heavy sigh exploding from Ross’s lungs, his frustration consumed me.
“Grab your boy-toy, Harmony. He’s in serious need of fish tacos,” Syd snickered, peering over Quinn’s shoulder.
“Shut the fuck up, you sick prick,” Ross growled as he grabbed my hand.
His anger nearly singed my flesh as he led me down the stairs and off the bus. I barely had time to slap on a smile as we hit the sidewalk. Several feet away, a crowd of people was already gathered around Burk, Sofia, Ozzy, Mia, and Darren. I darted a glance up at Ross, watching his scowl grow deeper and more menacing. Planting my heels into the pavement, I tugged him to a stop.
“What?” he bit out.
“You won’t earn an Academy Award if you don’t get into character,” I murmured as I reached up and cupped his cheek.
Every muscle in his body turned to stone.
His nostrils flared.
Something dark and ominous flickered in his eyes.
Then a blast of panic exploded from deep inside him, sending a flutter of fear surging through me. I jerked my hand away and swallowed tightly when I saw the raw anger flaring in his dark eyes.
“Don’t ever touch me again,” he snarled through clenched teeth.
Struggling to keep my smile in place as the crowd grew larger and louder; calling out for