Sweet Surrendering (Surrender Saga #1)(30)
Author: Chelsea M. Cameron

“I was thinking about it. I brought my guitar, just in case. It’s in the back.” I hadn’t seen him with it, so he must have stashed it somewhere. Fin’s phone rang and he looked at the screen.

“Shit, I have to take this. Excuse me.” He weaved his way through the crowd and outside.

“I have to pee,” Sloane announced.

“Me too,” Marisol added.

“Wait for me,” Chloe said, taking a gulp of her drink and then grabbing her purse before the three of them left me alone with Lucas.

“They’re about as subtle as a punch in the face,” Lucas said, watching them go. I shook my head and turned to face him.

“So,” I said.

“So,” he said. The last time we did that, we ended up having sex.

I touched his arm. “You jealous, Mr. Blaine?”

He leaned in so I could hear him better. “And why would you think that, Miss Clarke?”

“Because you look like you want to take Fin out back and rough him up a little even though you really have no reason to. My relationship, or lack thereof, with him is none of your business because our relationship is strictly professional.”

“If you say so,” he said, brushing some of my hair away from my face. I shouldn’t have worn it down, but Sloane said it looked better and I was having a good hair day.

“Stop it.” He sighed and his breath moved my hair again.

“Okay, Miss Clarke.” He moved backward.

“Thank you for the drinks. You didn’t have to do that.” I didn’t want him to go. But I didn’t think he should stay.

“You’re welcome Miss Clarke,” he said with a little bow. I smiled and he smiled back as he made his way toward the stage and disappeared into the back room of the bar, presumably to get his guitar.

“Hey, sorry about that.” Fin’s voice cut through the haze Lucas had left behind.

“No problem,” I said with another smile.

“So, uh, that was the guy, huh?”

“Yup, that was the guy.”

Fin gave me a look.

“What?”

“I stand by my advice even more now. You want him. He wants you. Let it happen.” He shrugged and winked at me. “I’m going to go get a glass of water. You want one?”

“Sure, yeah.” He patted my shoulder and left me alone again.

“Where did your sexcretary go?” Sloane said as the three traitors came back.

“He was scared of you three and ran away,” I said, downing my second drink. I was cutting myself off after that. The last time I’d had drinks in this bar and Lucas had sung, I’d ended up in bed with him, and that was something that couldn’t happen again. Fuck Fin’s advice.

“Shut up, he was not. Oh, there he is.” The announcer said his name and he took the stage with his guitar and sat on a stool again. Be still my ladyparts.

“This is a little song you might remember, but I’ve decided to put my own twist on it,” Lucas said into the mic and then sat back on the stool.

“This should be interesting,” Sloane said in my ear. I batted her away as Fin came back with a glass of water for himself and one for me.

He started playing the guitar and I recognized the song immediately.

“Is that ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’?” Sloane hissed at me, and I glared at her as Lucas started to sing.

Somehow he’d taken an 80’s ballad and turned it into a slower, sexier song that was something else entirely.

“Wow,” Sloane breathed in my ear. “If you don’t want him, I’ll take him.”

Lucas finished the song and opened his eyes. He always sang with his eyes closed.

“Thank you,” he said, and got a round of applause and cheering and a few wolf whistles. I clapped along with everyone else, completely lost in his performance. He smiled and exited the stage to make way for the next performer.

“I never thought I would actually like that song, but that was pretty damn good,” Fin said, nodding his approval.

“Get up,” Sloane said, shoving me off my chair.

“Hey!” I had no choice but to give up my chair.

“Get out of here. Right now. Before I change my mind and go for him.” She pushed me toward the back of the bar. I looked at Marisol and Chloe for help, but they were staring into their drinks. Fin just made a shooing motion with his hands and then turned to talk to Marisol.

“Go on,” Sloane said, and I was powerless against her as she pushed me through the bar.

“And don’t come home tonight,” she said in my ear before smacking me on the ass and walking back to the table.

I was about to turn around and go back, but Lucas came out of the back and smacked right into me.

He caught me before either of us fell and smiled when he realized it was me.

“Coming to get an autograph, Sunshine?” He steadied me with one arm and had his guitar with the other. Shit.

“No. My soon-to-be-former roommate shoved me over here. So here I am.” I crossed my arms and tried to put on my best Bitch Face.

“Ah, so you’re here under duress. I’m so sorry about that, Miss Clarke.”

“It’s no big deal, Mr. Blaine. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to call a cab and go home.” I turned to go, but he stopped me.

“Wait. Don’t go.” I sighed and turned back around. “Stay. Please.”

“I can’t, Lucas. We can’t.” He moved closer and I could see the desperation on his face and I could feel it inside of me. I wanted him so much.

“One more time. Please?” His voice was deep and it made me feel something unfold way down inside and I knew I was going to say yes, even as I tried to say no.

“Why did you have to sing? I could say no if you didn’t sing,” I said as he moved closer and pulled me into his chest.

He laughed and it rumbled through him.

“I’ll keep that in mind. Come on. Come home with me. One last time.”

Maybe I’d been going about this the wrong way. Maybe if I gave in, really gave in, for one night then I’d get it out of my system and it would take the forbidden nature away from our relationship. That was probably half the attraction anyway. Forbidden things were always more sexy.

Plus, I had fabulous underwear on.

“One night. I’m all yours for one night.” I looked up at him and he stared down at me.

“One perfect night.”

His hand slid down my back, squeezed my ass and then he twisted his fingers in mine.