Music of the Heart(39)

As his eyes bulged in horror, Frank sucked in a breath. “Oh God,” I murmured before ducking my head in mortification. Had I actually just told Frank that? Twenty-four hours on a bus with a bunch of raunchy guys had completely taken over all of the manners my parents had instilled in me. “I’m so sorry. That was totally uncalled for.”

“I, erm,…” he stammered.

Warmth filled my cheeks. “What I should have said is that while I appreciate the sentiment, Jake is never going to be interested in a girl like me. We’re so different, and we want different things out of the people we date.” I winced. “I mean, Jake doesn’t date.”

Frank took a few moments to absorb my comments. “He could if he was given the chance.”

I snorted contemptuously. “Are we talking about the same guy here?”

“Why do I have the sneaking suspicion that your feelings and reactions might have been a tad different if we’d had this conversation this morning?”

Before I could bite my lip or hold my tongue, I blurted, “I’m not being a spiteful little bitch. You don’t know how much it hurts that he ignored me all morning and then chose Bree, okay?”

“Aw, Angel, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have mentioned anything.”

“It’s okay. You were just trying to look out for Jake. But even if he hadn’t done what he did and actually gave me the time of day for longer than a minute, I don’t know if I could deal with the Brees of Jake’s life.”

Frank pulled into a teeming Wal-Mart parking lot. After he put the SUV in park, he cut the ignition and turned to me. “Look, when it comes right down to it, I’m just an old fart widower who doesn’t know much but the love of my high school sweetheart. But I’ve seen the way Jake looks at you—” When I opened my mouth to protest, he held up his hand. “And no, it’s more than just you’re a piece of meat he wants to devour.” He smiled. “He’s seen past the pretty packaged outside to see the beauty within. I guarantee whatever he was doing with Bree this afternoon was about more than just his needs. He wanted to get you off his mind.” At my continued apprehension, he swung the keys back and forth on his finger. “So do an old man a favor and keep an open mind along with an extra forgiving heart when it comes to Jake, okay?”

I fiddled with the door handle, trying to avoid Frank’s intense stare. “I can try, but I’m not making any promises.”

A wide grin curved on Frank’s face. “Good, I’m glad to hear it. And if it doesn’t work out, I’ve got a son not too much older than you.”

I laughed. “Do you ever stop with the matchmaking?”

“Nope.” He opened his door. “Come on. Let’s go get the boys some food.”







A long moan erupted from my lips as my eyes rolled back in my head with pleasure.

Bree was riding me like a crazed cowgirl. Her fingers dug into my hips, sending her acrylic nails scratching across my skin. She bounced and jerked on and off of me as I thrust up to meet her frantic movements. “Fuck,” I muttered as she tightened her walls around me. If there was one thing Bree knew, it was how to please me and give me the best sex, along with the best head, I’d ever had in my life.

But when I opened my eyes, I didn’t see Bree’s back arched in ecstasy. Instead, Abby straddled me—her expression one of wide-eyed wonderment. She gazed down at me lovingly, not with eyes hooded with lust like Bree always did. “Angel?” When she didn’t respond, I murmured, “Abby,” to which she smiled. I rose up to take her swaying breast into my mouth. I suckled the nipple causing her to moan.

“Yeah, do me harder, Jake!” Bree’s voice roared through the bedroom.

I blinked my eyes, trying to clear Abby’s image from my mind. This time when I looked back, it was no longer Abby, but Bree scratching her fingernails harshly down my chest as she rode me. Shaken by what I had hallucinated, I tried focusing on Bree’s writhing form. What the hell was happening to me? I had a sex goddess screwing my brains out, and I was fantasizing about a blushing virgin. A growl escaped my lips as I flipped Bree over on her back and started pounding her hard.

“YES JAKE! Yes, just like that!” Bree cried, smacking my ass.

I sucked one of her nipples into my mouth and teasingly bit it. She screamed and clutched her legs harder around me. But when I raised my head from Bree’s breast, Abby stared up at me. “Oh, I’ve wanted to make love for so long, Jake. I’m glad you’re my first.”

I blinked my eyes a few times, but it was still Abby smiling up at me. A pleading expression took over her face. “No man has ever made me come before. Please be the first.” Hearing those words on her lips was my undoing, and I felt myself start to shudder.