Rock Kiss 01.5 Rock Courtship(48)

His hand clenched in her hair. “I never realized how much I’d like that.” No other woman had ever spent this kind of time on him—he hadn’t missed it then, but he’d miss it like hell if Thea ever stopped.

Her chuckle husky, she pressed a kiss to his breastbone before giving his other nipple the same treatment. Shivering, the response one he couldn’t control, he stroked his hand down her spine. She licked over the tiny bite before shifting lower and sucking on his skin.

“I love the way you taste.” It was a purr.

Drawing in a deep breath, she blew it out over the skin she’d just sucked.

His well-sated cock twitched. “That’s…” Words fading into a groan when she moved her mouth to suck on a spot on his hip that had him shuddering, he pulled at her hair. “Better stop that if you don’t want round three.”

She smiled against him, looked up, eyes sparkling. “That’s not a very good threat.”

His heart ached. “You’re incredible, you know that?” Everything he’d ever wanted, every dream he hadn’t realized he had.

Prowling up over his body, she nuzzled her nose against his. “I’m sorry I hurt you.” Soft, husky words. “I didn’t mean to.” No shields in her expression, no barriers between them. “I trust you, David. In every way.”

“I know.” He cupped the side of her face. “I’m sorry you had to hear the news while you were alone and I wasn’t there to hold you.”

Love shining in her eyes, Thea kissed him slow and sweet before saying, “We have to talk.”

His gut tightened, shoulders going stiff, but he nodded. “I honestly have no idea why Naomi would do this,” he said. “I never had much contact with her beyond seeing her at my folks’ house when she visited my brother, and she seemed like a nice girl.” He’d been racking his brain to figure out why she’d put this on him, had come up blank. “As far as I know, she’s not even a Schoolboy Choir fan. Zeke never asked for an extra ticket for her like he does for his other friends.”

Thea could see David’s frustration, feel his anger, but she couldn’t permit that to distract her, not when this could strike a devastating blow to his reputation. Many people would say it didn’t matter—the public expected rock stars to break the rules, would continue to buy his music. But it mattered to David, and he mattered to her.

David would be cleared by the paternity test, but by then, the damage would’ve been done, with some people always believing the lies. He was strong, would deal with it, but his parents called that neighborhood home. The innuendo would destroy their peace and happiness—yet Thea knew in her gut that the Riveras would be the first to tell David to stand his ground.

So would Thea.

He deserved better than to be blackmailed into an implied acceptance of wrongdoing when he was in the right. “Do you know anything about Naomi beyond her friendship with your brother?”

Folding one arm under his head, the other around her, David frowned. “Only reason I registered her at all was because I knew Zeke had a thing for her; she came across as sweet, maybe a little introverted. Other than that…” He paused, then said, “She used to wear a small gold cross around her neck. My mom wears one, too, that’s why I remember it. I’m pretty sure she came to their place after mass at least once while I was there, so I think she must be Catholic.”

Thea began to get a glimpse of the fear and avarice that might be driving this deception. “Catholic girl, possibly with a strict family”—a fact she’d check—“gets pregnant by a boyfriend, and when she can’t hide it anymore, she throws the blame on you.”

“Figuring no one would dispute her claim since I’m a degenerate, immoral musician.” Grim words. “Thea, she wants people to believe I fucked a child.”

“I’m pretty sure part of it is fear,” Thea said, stroking back his hair. “But money’s just as big a motive. She’s asking for a massive whack as child support—and she came in with a hotshot lawyer.”

“If she thinks I’ll roll over and throw money at her to shut her up, she’s in for a rude surprise.” Anger thrummed under his skin, but Thea could see it was a cold anger now, David’s fury having iced over.

“I think she’s probably already received that message.” Thea felt at once sorry for the girl and blindingly angry with her for so cavalierly playing with the life of a good man. “There has to be someone else pushing her to do this—I can’t see the girl you described coming up with this on her own.”