Ariel's Song (In Bed with the Enemy) (4 page)

Colin
dropped his hold on her and she walked out of his music studio, hoping to make it as far away from him as possible before he figured out what was missing. The warmth of his groin still lingered in her palm and she balled her hand into a fist. His proximity stirred her insides, tangling the butterflies in her stomach into a knot. Ariel didn’t know how she walked without stumbling. Colin was a fallen angel without wings or horns, who enjoyed showing her how much his touch affected her.

Focus, Ariel, focus.
She had to stop thinking of him in those terms if she planned to work there for the next three months. Maybe she’d focus on other things, starting with his wardrobe. A splash of color to his black wardrobe wouldn’t hurt him. Ariel didn’t consider messing with his clothing crossing the line if she was only trying to help as his assistant.

“Ariel
!”

Oh, shit
. He knew. Ariel made a run for the closest room since his home study seemed thousands of miles away.

“Ariel
,” he shouted once more. “I’ll find your little ass, and you’ll be sorry when I do.”

She
ran into the first room she found, shutting the double doors. Crap. No lock. Ariel stepped back, glancing around at what appeared to be a sitting room. His strides in the hall sounded closer and closer each time. Damn it. She had nowhere to hide.

Colin
threw the doors open and strode in the room. It took him no more than a second to find her hiding spot, zeroing his gaze on her. He closed the doors, and stood there as he crossed his arms. “Where the fuck is my ex-Vieuxtemps?”

Ariel shifted on her feet behind an elegant white love seat, her fingers gripping the edge. “You mean, the Guarneri?”

His jaw tightened with impatience. “Yes.” He walked toward her.

“Um…” She slid her eyes closed. Shit
. This was all Gérard’s fault or Logan’s, or anyone else’s not hers.

“Where’s my Guarneri, Ariel
?” he asked at her ear. The warmth of his body traveled down her back as he stood behind her.

She’d been
too busy putting the blame on someone else, and hadn’t noticed the moment he’d made his way behind her. An arm slid around her waist and his shaft pressed against her bottom. This proved why accepting the job had been a mistake. His touch clouded all logical thought in her mind.

“
Gorgeous?” He bit her earlobe. “Where’s my violin?”

Ariel swallowed
. “At Gérard’s,” she said, eyes still closed.

“Where’s my Stradivarious?” His lips hovered over the curve of her neck, his warmth kissing her skin.

Her breath quickened with anticipation, yearning to feel him, to be in his arms again. Was it wrong to want another taste of his lovemaking? Yes.
Just one more time.
Ariel leaned back on his chest, giving him greater access. Colin cupped her breasts, his fingers playing with her already tense nipples through her clothes. His touch shot a flood of heat straight to her core.

“Ariel?”

Entranced by his caresses, she reached behind him and gripped his waist. Colin understood her ask, rocking his hips against her ass, letting her feel his erection, giving her what she wanted.

“Yes.
It’s at Gérard’s, too,” she said.

Colin kissed her neck, sucking t
he skin gently into his mouth. Ariel didn’t have to see to know he’d left a pink mark soon to turn purple. She didn’t care. She’d apply makeup or something to hide it. Colin pushed her upper body down on the couch, and lifted her dress. Every stroke, every kiss was an exquisite torture to her weak senses.

Colin rid her of her thong, and stretched her with three fingers. “Did I do this?” he asked, his fingers thrusting into her.

Oh, sweet torture. “Y-yes.”

“Good.”
He withdrew his fingers.

Ariel wetted her lips
, anticipation running through her veins. She angled her head and caught a glimpse of Colin rolling on a condom. His hand closed on her waist as he drove into her, filling her drenched channel with his full length.

Ariel caught her breath.
She didn’t remember her body having to adjust to his length the first time they’d been together. In this position every inch of his was inside her, stretching her.

“Do you like this, Ariel?”
Colin tangled his fingers in her long black hair, pulling at it as he plunged into her.

“M-
more.” She rocked her hips back, matching his rhythm.

He
let go of her hair and grasped her hips, driving into her harder. “Like this?”

“Y-
yes.”

He thrust faster, filling her completely each time, the tip of his cock touching
her sweet spot.

“Yes, like that. Harder
. Faster, don’t stop,” she said. He obliged. Her orgasm broke into waves rippling through her body, her muscles clamping on his shaft.

“Fuck
.” Colin held her tight in place, as his body trembled alongside hers, panting until they both caught their breaths. He stepped back, pulling her skirt down, then helped her straighten from the position he’d put her on. Turning around, he got rid of his condom, adding some distance between them as he put his clothes back to rights. Silence settled reminding her of her thong-less state. Ariel cast her gaze down in search of her discarded underwear.

“Looking for these?” Colin asked from the middle of the room, her thong dangling from one of his fingers.

“Are you trying to be funny?” She walked toward him.

With a smirk on his face, h
e scrunched it in his hand. “Remember I said your little ass would be sorry when I found you?”

He wouldn’t dare, not after what happened
minutes ago. “Colin, it’s not funny. May I please have it back?” Ariel stretched out a hand.

“Sorry,
gorgeous. I always come true with my promises.” He shoved the thong in his jeans pocket. “I’m afraid you’ll have to go on about your business without these,” he patted his pocket before he continued, “the rest of the day.” He grinned.

She
narrowed her eyes at him. “You’ll pay for this.”

Ariel
turned for the door but he grabbed her arm, stopping her mid-step. “You’re going with me to Gérard’s.”

She gasped. “I can’t go like this.”

He let go of her. “Yes, you can.” Colin touched her chin, tilting it to him. “No one else knows there’s nothing under your skirt.” He kissed her once more. She opened her mouth to protest but his hot tongue entered her, muddling her thoughts.

Colin
was a drug she’d become addicted to in a short time. If she wasn’t careful a Colin overdose could eventually shatter her heart.

Chapter
Five

Colin’s scaring tactic backfired on him the first time he kissed Ariel. Mistake number one. Fucking her next, mistake number two. Fucking her again, mistake number three. What the fuck was wrong with him? Hadn’t he learned his lesson?

In his life
he didn’t have any room left for women or love. Yet here he was spending time with a woman who didn’t deserve what he offered. Nothing. Ariel confused him, disconcerted him. What did he know of her? Not much. She looked like a rich girl who’d seen better times and now needed a job. Most intriguing, she wasn’t scared of him. The last two begged the question: why?

He’d
talk to Logan to see if he’d done a complete background check on Ariel. Colin wanted to know who she was, why she was in Bibury of all places. He didn’t need any more surprises in his fucked up life. In the meantime, he’d enjoy their game for as long as it lasted. Colin looked at her from the corner of his eye, his lip twitched. He imagined her discomfort at being naked underneath her skirt.

Colin
tried to keep a straight face as he walked next to her down the hallway. Gérard’s butler led them to the conservatory where allegedly at least half of his old band of musicians waited. When the hell did Gérard and Logan sneak in and out of his home with his two most precious belongings? If anything happened to his violins, there’d be hell to pay. His instruments were irreplaceable.

“Sir
. Madam,” the older man said, opening the door to the conservatory and gesturing them in.

He
hadn’t finished saying thanks to the man when his old team of musicians surrounded him.

“Colin
, it’s so great to see you again, mate.” A man to his right shook his hand.

“I never thought I’d see the day
.” Another man stepped forward to greet him.

Colin stood in the middle of a perfect circle as
fifteen or so people took turns greeting him, shaking hands, patting him on the back. The genuine smiles on their faces made him feel welcomed, giving him a sense of belonging, replacing the emptiness in his chest. Though the excitement of being around other musicians filled him in a way he couldn’t explain, Colin wasn’t ready to play with others yet—not the way he used to anyway.

He clenched
his fists, fighting the urge rising within him. He’d never been a good sport at resisting temptation, especially when it stood in front of him with an open invitation. Colin glanced over the small crowd surrounding him, finding Ariel standing by the door, smiling back at him.

“Colin, dear, it’s fabulous you decided to come out of hiding
.” Penelope approached him and slipped her arms around his neck in a hug. Except, the brush of her breasts against his chest confirmed Penelope hadn’t changed her mind in her pursuit of him since the last time he’d seen her.

He
returned the gesture with a quick embrace, placing his hands on her waist, breaking the interaction as fast as possible. It bothered him to see Ariel’s warm smile gone. Why, he didn’t know. Colin tried making eye contact with Ariel. She nodded in response then took a seat in the back of the large room.

Penelope
grasped his hand, pulling him over to his seat. The room had been set up into a perfect music conservatory. His Guarneri sat on a chair placed right in the middle of everyone else’s, among all the delicate instruments.

“Play with us, yes?”
Penelope fluttered her lashes. The timbre of her French accent made men go crazy for her. He’d seen her use it to her advantage many times before, even on him, except he’d never been interested. Nothing had changed.

Colin
fought the turmoil of emotions inside him. He realized now how much he’d yearned to be there, his need to play, to practice with everyone else once again. The unique smell of centuries’ old wood and strings teased his nostrils, fueling his desire to give in, to forget all the reasons why he’d stopped playing in company.

The musicians took their places
, and the sound of the first set of strings being stroked overflowed the room. Everyone sat, watching him with anticipation in their eyes. He’d been their leader before. The look in their faces told him they still saw him as such.

“Colin, come have a seat.”
Penelope’s hand rested on top of his violin case.

He
dragged his gaze around the room, contemplating his options. Betrayal still weighed heavy on him. Colin feared playing with them would bring back the pain of that night, opening up the wounds he’d tried to heal. He could walk out, damn it all, and forget it. Of course, Gérard and Logan were conveniently missing so he couldn’t even take his wrath on them for doing this to him. No one in this room deserved the madness of his mixed emotions.

He
met Ariel’s eyes from where she sat at the back of the room. She nodded in encouragement, giving him the push he needed. He couldn’t leave, he was their leader. Colin let out a heavy sigh, opening his case. Everyone cheered at once, encouraging him further.

“I promise everything will be okay.”
Penelope squeezed his hand, her pitch black eyes focused on him.

Colin
removed his Guarneri from the case and brought it up to rest on his collar bone, holding it in place with his jaw. He remained standing as usual when he played with the band. Fear knocked at his door. This was a test he hadn’t thought of taking. Yet, there he stood, hoping to pull it off. The intensity of everyone’s expectant gazes on him weighed heavy on him.

He curled
his left hand fingers around the base, then placed the bow halfway between the end of the fingerboard and the bridge. His violins were always tuned, so he didn’t take time to adjust it. It was ready, waiting to be played. Colin pulled the bow, playing the first note to a song.

He slid his eyes shut, letting the music seduce him
into the world he loved, where he belonged. Soon, the rest of the musicians followed suit. After years of playing together, Colin wasn’t surprised they followed his lead as if they hadn’t been apart, time passed, or nothing ever happened. It felt as wonderful as he remembered. A feeling so sharp, his chest tightened with hurt when all the bad memories of the horrendous night came back in a flash, piercing through him.

“No
!” He put his violin down. All music halted, confused expressions focused on him. He avoided them all as he strode out of the room, violin in hand.

“Colin
,” Penelope called after him.

“
Colin, stop.” Ariel reached his side. “You can do this.”

He
wanted out of there now. Bloody hell. Why did he even listen to them?

“Colin, dear,”
Penelope said from behind.

“
Can you please leave him alone? I’ll make sure he goes back. Give us a few minutes,” Ariel said.

He
assumed Penelope went back to the conservatory since he didn’t her say anything else. Ariel directed him into one of the empty rooms along the hallway and closed the door.

“I don’t know what I was thinking,” he said,
placing his violin and the bow on a small table. Colin raked his hands through his hair, loosening the tie holding it back.

Ariel
drew near until she stood in front of him. “Music. It completes you. It’s what makes you, you, and your love for it makes you blind. You can play solo all you want. The sad thing is you know it’s not enough, or is it?”

“
You don’t know what completes or makes me. Just because we’ve fucked doesn’t mean you know me. You don’t know shit,” he said.

She gasped at his harsh words. “Right, I don’t know shit.
Give me a break, Colin. Even a blind person can see you’re the one hurting yourself. As a fan all I see is you’re not allowing what you love most back into your life.” Ariel paced the room, waving her hands. “If you want to keep hurting, mourning the loss of your fiancée, blaming everyone else as the reason you’re a recluse, and not the Colin Hoskins the world knew, then have at it. Remain isolated. You better than anyone know how much more fun that is.”

“
You know nothing of my life, my loss, and mourning,” he said. “I bet you’ve always been a spoiled little rich girl who’s never lifted a finger to save her life.” At his words, the color drained from her face. He’d hit a cord close to the truth in his words. Colin felt sorry for saying so, he wished it wasn’t too late to take it back.

“I
’ve experienced more loss and mourning than you can ever imagine.” Ariel looked around the room and headed for the door.

Colin stepped in her path. “
I’m sorry. I was out of line.” At her silence, he grasped her upper arms, pulling her to him. “I’m really sorry.” He didn’t know how she knew about loss and mourning, but he didn’t want to find out either. Not now. Not after the hurt he’d seen his words caused. He hated himself for it.

Ariel glanced at him
. Her teary eye gaze punched him in the gut. Colin held her nape, leaned in, and kissed her. She kissed him back in a way an asshole like him didn’t deserve. There wasn’t anything passionate or demanding in their kiss. On the contrary, it was sweet, filled with the kind of promise he couldn’t ever make. He broke the kiss and held her in his arms.

“Can you try again?” Ariel asked.

“I don’t know if I can go back.”

“Imagine you’re playing solo at your home music studio. Pretend no one
else is in that humongous room.” Hope filled her voice.

****

Ariel eased back in her chair and blew out a breath, dragging her gaze around Colin’s large study. Bookshelves covered the walls from floor-to-ceiling. Somehow, she hadn’t paid attention the first time she’d been there. Truth be told, she’d been too busy ogling the beautiful beast behind the desk. A shiver ran through her body as she recalled their first encounter.

It’d been t
wo weeks since he rejoined rehearsals with his old band. Colin also signed the contract with the Philharmonic in New York to play with them at the mid-summer concert in Central Park. A win all around, with the exception of not being able to enjoy his company as much anymore save for the few times they’d found. Too bad her stay in England came with an expiration date.

Ariel
spent a good portion of her days in this room going over papers Logan’s assistant, emailed, or faxed her to review and sign. She would’ve preferred to find any excuse to go with Colin to rehearsals instead. Unfortunately, Penelope did a wonderful job of booting her out by taking him under her wing. Worst, he didn’t seem to mind at all.

Her job here was done.
Wasn’t it what Logan wanted? Get Colin to agree to the concert, and join rehearsals. Ariel wouldn’t quit anyway, she still needed the money. Logan had yet to come forth with his promise to help her find her brother, too. Ariel counted on it as part of her deal with him. In the meantime, she’d look for another place to live. She’d graduated from being a tourist to a semi-permanent resident.

Tanner
, where are you?
She shook her head, glancing down at the classified ads of the newspaper lying on the desk. Her gaze slid across the page, so far she’d crossed out with large red X’s the majority of the rentals. They were either over her budget or too far from Colin’s place.

Damn her landlord. He’d given her a two weeks’ notice to vacate her rented cottage
, explaining his cottages catered short stays and real tourists. Ariel didn’t fit the category anymore. Yeah, she didn’t need anyone else to remind her of her resident status.

Colin lived on the outskirts of the small village
, at a short distance from her rented cottage, so getting to his place on time every day wasn’t a problem. Where would she go now? She tapped the newspaper with the Sharpie in her hand, squeezing her eyes shut, willing her mind to concentrate.

Every time she started to go over the ads
, Penelope and Colin came to mind. Penelope’s pitch black eyes combined with her red hair scared the crap out of her. Ariel couldn’t pinpoint it, other than something in Penelope didn’t bode well with her. She opened her eyes in time to see Logan come in the room.

“There you are
.” He advanced toward her.

Her lips curved into a smile.
Ariel stood and made her way around the desk, meeting him halfway. “Hi, Logan.”

“W
here’s Colin?” He scanned the room.

“He’s at Gérard’s.
”

“Hmmm
… I see.” Logan seemed to consider her answer.

“
He’s been carpooling with Penelope every morning to rehearsal. Why? Did you need something?”

Logan blinked, h
is deep green gaze settled on her. “No. I came here because I have news for you.”

Ariel said a silent praye
r, anxious to hear the news. “Y-you…”

Logan touched her arm. “No
. I haven’t found him,” he said.

Her heart sunk.
Not what she’d hoped to hear.

“Yet,” he added. “I hired a private investigator
. He’s looking into all the details leading up to the day your brother disappeared, and you lost your inheritance. I expect to have news for you soon.”