Saved by the Music (Saints & Sinners Book 2) (7 page)

The rustic house was unpretentious with a natural warmth surrounding everything. It showcased something bold and real, something very honest that aligned perfectly with the kind of man Sam was. The hewn beams gave the interior a rough edge that complimented his personality, as if he were trying to create a connection to what he wanted his life to be. She admired the unpolished furnishings that combined with the subtle pastels and nuanced colors, making the house perfect.

“By the look on your face, I imagine this is not what you thought my place would look like.”

She jumped at the sound of his voice, having been so lost in admiring his home that she had forgotten she wasn’t alone.

Ashlee turned around and saw him beside the fireplace, wearing those jeans that fit him just right and a black long-sleeved button-up shirt. She could easily picture him living here with a wife and kids.

Her fingers lingering on the furniture and the beams, she wondered what he thought she was seeing when she looked around, if he had any idea how perfect it was. “No, it’s not, but this is… perfect.”

“You don’t have to say that just to spare my feelings. Most people don’t really feel like it fits.”

She stared at him to see if he were kidding, but when she saw the mixed emotions on his face, she realized he was dead serious. He really thought she wouldn’t fall in love with this house?

What about the man? Because she was pretty sure that was already a done deal. “Then they obviously don’t know you, because this house is spectacular. And when I say it’s perfect, I mean it, Sam. This place is almost an extension of who you are. It’s unpretentious, bold, unpolished, yet subtle and warm.”

She took a few steps forward so they were within reaching distance. He placed his hands at the base of her neck, and she felt like he was looking into her soul. She wondered if he would be scared if he could really see what she was thinking.

He was silent for a while, just staring at her, until he leaned his forehead against hers, his hands still on each side of her neck. “Seriously, where did you come from? No one has ever put that together before.”

She closed her eyes as she let herself feel him around her, never so safe and so at peace before. She knew she should pull away from him, shouldn’t want to feel this connection, but she didn’t have the strength to move. Raising her hands, she pressed both palms on his chest. “I’ve just been listening to the man, not the superstar.”

She felt his hands move to the back of her neck, tilting her head so he was looking right at her. She couldn’t hide, couldn’t shut him out; he was seeing everything she didn’t want him to see. “You don’t know what you do to me when you say things like that, Ashlee. To a man like me, that’s like giving him something he never even realized he wanted or needed.”

“There’s a lot more to you than meets the eye.” She pushed harder against his chest, placing one hand over his heart. He hissed a breath, and she loved that she got to him as much as he got to her.

He covered the hand she had over his heart with his own, and she knew fighting this man was a losing battle. “Not really, but no one’s ever looked close enough to see it.”

He smiled at her and she could see how free he felt, something she hadn’t seen in him yet. It was like she was making whatever burdens he was carrying bearable for him. “Well, I’m looking, and I see you.”

He moved his head closer to hers. She knew he was going to kiss her, and she could barely control the urge to grab his head and push him past his breaking point.

“Ashlee….”

Just when his lips barely touched hers, the sound of the doorbell broke the spell.

Chapter Five

SAM

I’m going to kill whoever’s at the door.
He tried to process everything she’d said about him and the house, but all he felt was an intense affection for the woman standing in front of him. She had managed to connect dots no other person—especially another woman—had ever made. The doorbell rang again, and he realized he was still standing by the fireplace, holding Ashlee in his arms and loving the feel of her hands on his chest.

When the doorbell was replaced by loud knocking, Ashlee started to laugh before she pulled away. “You better go check who it is before they break the door down.”

“I bet you anything it’s Jarrod.”

On the mark, he answered the door to Jarrod, Mike, Austin, and Tyler standing on his porch. He laughed internally at the irony of Jarrod interrupting his moment with Ashlee, since Sam had been the one to interrupt more than one moment between his friend and Trish
.

“What took you so long, man?” Mike asked him, pushing his way inside.

Well, shit. Apparently they’re staying.

He walked back to the living room and exploded with laughter when he saw the four guys standing still as a rock, staring at the woman in the middle of his living room. “You have a woman here?”

He cringed at the surprise in Austin’s question; the last thing he wanted was to scare Ashlee off.

“Before we all go crazy, I guess now’s as good a time as any to make introductions. Guys, meet Ashlee Daniels. Ashlee, meet the rest of the band, but don’t take any crap from these assholes.” He felt like this could blow up in his face if the guys didn’t behave—and they never behaved.

“Well, shit, today’s the day she was coming? Fuck, I completely forgot. I’m Mike. It’s nice to meet you, Ashlee.” He watched Mike like a hawk as the guitarist went in for a hug, and for the first time, he understood how Jarrod felt when the guys all hugged Trish
.
She looked happy to meet the rest of the band, but he couldn’t quite make out if she was faking it or not. If she was, she wasn’t letting it show.

“It’s nice to meet you too, Mike.” She glanced over at Sam, and that was when he realized she needed him. He moved to where she stood and almost immediately felt her relax. He looked at Jarrod who was smiling his ass off, obviously attuned to what had just happened.

Austin came up to her and Sam tensed, remembering how his friend had baited him when they first talked about Ashlee. “I’m Austin. It’s really nice to finally meet you, Ashlee. Sam over here can’t keep his mouth shut about you, and it’s easy to see why. You’re beautiful, darling.”

“And you’re a sweet talker. It’s nice to meet you, Austin.” Her gaze landed on him and she gave him a brief smile.

“I’m Tyler. Sorry, we forgot you were coming today. We left you alone with the boring one.”

That’s it. I’m going to have to kill my best friends after this.
He growled—actually
growled
—and he felt five pair of eyes turn on him.

Then Ashlee laughed hysterically, and just like that the awkwardness was gone. “Sorry, I don’t see a boring one here. Am I missing a member?”

Tyler glanced between the two of them. For a brief second, Sam felt the tension build inside him, ready for whatever smart-ass comment Tyler was gearing up for, but the blow didn’t come. “I like her… I like you, Ashlee Daniels.”

Jarrod took her in his arms for a big hug, and she was right there with him. Sam had let it slip his mind that she knew Jarrod because of Trish. “Hey, Ashlee. It’s good to see you again.”

“Being a new dad suits you. You look great.”

If Sam thought she wouldn’t be able to handle the guys, she showed him. She was so irresistible and alluring, so it didn’t surprise him that all the guys loved her; he was pretty sure she had never met a person who didn’t automatically fall in love with her.

“It’s the best. How’s your mom?”

She tensed at the question and Sam realized he hadn’t even asked how she felt about being away, or how her mom was doing? He felt like a first-class jerk.

Before he knew it, she took a few steps closer to him, so their shoulders were touching. She needed the physical contact, and he’d give her the goddamn moon if she needed it.

He slipped one arm behind her and pressed his hand on her lower back. As if instinctive, she leaned toward him. “She’s still in the hospital, but she’s getting stronger every day.” Her voice cracked with emotion.

All the guys were staring at them, trying to figure out what the hell was going on, but Ashlee wasn’t moving away from him. And for the love of God, he didn’t want her to.

Jarrod glanced at the two of them before taking a few steps back. “Good. Trish said she wanted to see her, so we’ll do that.”

She rubbed her cheek on his arm, and when she realized what she was doing, she didn’t make a big deal out of it; instead, she focused her attention on Jarrod, but still didn’t move away from Sam. “Oh, she’s going to love that. The famous Jarrod Banks in her room. She might ask you to take your shirt off.”

Sam wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him while Jarrod stared at her, trying to figure out if she was kidding or not. “Your mom would ask Jarrod to strip?” Sam asked incredulously.

She started laughing and couldn’t stop. “Oh, yeah. He’s Jarrod Banks, duh.” All the guys laughed and whistled. One look at Jarrod told Sam he would actually do it, an indication of just how bewitching the woman in his arms was.

He knew he had a short window of opportunity and he took it, leaning closer to her so his mouth was over her ear. He felt her nails digging into the side of his chest. “What about me? Would she ask me to strip?”

She glanced up at him and went on her tiptoes so she could whisper her reply in his ear. He tightened his hold on her, waiting for her words. “No, but her daughter might.”

He nipped her earlobe and suddenly his hand was on her ass, bringing her closer to him. He was pretty sure he was going to be wearing marks on his chest.

“Um, guys, we’re all still here.”

The second they heard Mike’s voice, she pulled away from Sam so fast his head was spinning.
Well, fuck.
He was so far gone he’d forgotten they weren’t alone. But she looked so fucking beautiful with her face flushed, her eyes drowning in lust, that he couldn’t force himself to feel bad.

“I am so sorry. Oh, God, that wasn’t supposed to happen. I have to go… make a call.”

He watched her head upstairs, and that was when the guilt hit him. She’d made him promise that he was going to be on his best behavior, yet he’d mauled her the first chance he got in front of the people she was working for.
I’m such a fucking idiot.

“Okay, I’m not one for voyeurism, but that was fucking hot. Didn’t think you had it in you, Brooks.” Austin was smiling ear to ear, which didn’t fucking help the situation.

“Shut up, Austin. This isn’t fucking funny.”

“No, but it was hot as hell. Maybe we should have let you two keep going at it right here in your living room.”

It was more than hot. He felt like his skin was on fire, and God knew what would’ve happened if Mike hadn’t intervened when he did. “You’re an asshole, you know that, man.”

“So you got carried away. What’s the big deal?” Tyler asked.

Sam ran his hands over his face, trying to get himself in check.

“The big deal is that Ashlee isn’t that girl. She’s worked hard as hell to build her reputation, and her business. She never mixes her professional and personal life, and I’m getting the feeling that they both collided when Sam went to Atlanta,” Jarrod explained.

“When the hell did you become Yoda, Banks?” Sam asked his best friend, unable to hide the laughter in his voice.

“I married a smart woman, what can I say? Seriously, she’s confused as hell right now. Anyone with a brain can see that.”

“I promised her I would be on my best behavior and then I attack her with you guys around. This is a fucking nightmare.”

“Okay, you need to take a step back, dude. Yes, you got a little carried away, but hey, it happens to all of us. It’s obvious to everyone here that you guys have enough chemistry to burn this place down, and that’s something you can’t fight. But Ashlee’s been hurt in the past, man, and she doesn’t trust easily. Plus, with her mom being sick and her having money problems, the last thing she probably wants right now is to dump that on you. And before you say you want to help her, you have to understand that Ashlee’s the girl who’s always there for everyone else, but when she needs something, she doesn’t ask for help. And the times when she did… well, help didn’t come. All her life, she’s worked her ass off not to be a burden to anyone, always taking care of her family, so having someone as intense as you showing her how the other half lives is scary as fuck for her right now.”

Two questions popped into his mind. First, how the hell did Jarrod know so much about Ashlee, and second, how did she manage to shine a light so bright on others when no one shined it back on her? But the one thing that stuck was something about money problems. Why didn’t he know about that?

He slammed his hand on the coffee table, sending old magazines to the floor. “What do you mean she’s having money problems?” Shit, this woman was getting under his skin, and he couldn’t do a damn thing about it.

Jarrod looked at him as if debating whether he should answer or not, and that just pissed Sam off even more. “Fuck, my wife is going to kill me for telling you this. Her mom’s hospital bills are getting higher and higher, and the insurance refuses to pay.”

Sam always had a hold on his anger, but thinking about the stress Ashlee was under was making it hard for him not to lose his shit.
Why wouldn’t she ask Jarrod for help? Hell, why wouldn’t she just ask Trish? She had to know they would help her.

He felt a hand on his shoulder; looking over, he saw Austin glaring at him. “I’m sorry if I pushed the wrong button earlier, man. It’s clear you have feelings for this girl, and that you’ve been into her a lot longer than we know. I was out of line.”

He patted
his friend on the back. “We’re good, Austin.”

The room fell silent, and then suddenly Mike was laughing his ass off.

Fuck, I love these guys.

And then Mike had to go and open his big mouth. “Dude, she’s fucking gorgeous. I mean, Trish is beautiful and sexy—sorry, Jarrod—but this one is like drop-dead gorgeous.”