I walk up to the mic and we all join in on the chorus. Lucy's head turns to me, eyes wide, and I give her the smile I've been holding in for a long fucking time. The one of pure happiness. The one I knew would come out when I saw her again.
Shit. She's gorgeous and her voice has my cock hard and aching. She smiles back, a genuine happy, stretch-across-your-entire-face smile that fills the room with light. I am so fucked over this girl.
Sera gasps and I look to see Xander standing next to her, his arms crossed, grin on his face.
I look back to Lucy who just stares at me-almost like she did in the airport. Hell no. That isn't happening. Not this time.
"Well, say something. We know you can sing so we know your voice works," I smirk.
"Um … "
I tilt my head to the side then look at Sera as she walks up.
"Yep, it's us," Sera announces.
I can't help it. I burst out laughing. "I'd know that 'um' anywhere."
She thrusts Ben's acoustic out at me, rigidly, unsure, and mutters, "Here. Sorry."
She stands up from the stool, fidgeting, and then she flips her hair over her shoulder. Sexy as fuck.
I take the guitar with one hand then throw my other arm around her, pulling her in for a hug. I can't resist and she smells better than I remember.
"Lucy," I whisper.
The feel of her body against mine-incredible. She tucks in nicely to my chest, her arms wrapping around me.
When she doesn't say anything, I lean back and lift a brow. "Really? Still no words?
"Huh?" she says.
"Again?" I ask with a smirk.
Sera sighs. "She only gets like that around you."
I give her a look of disbelief. No way. I'm nowhere near her league-not that I ever was. I'm just a rocker and she's … she's perfect.
"Seriously," Sera tells me.
"What's going on?" Ben asks.
"Holy Mother of God," Lucy mutters under her breath.
We all start laughing at her tone.
"Um, sorry we touched your precious," she says, pointing to Ben's guitar.
Ben chuckles. "Normally I'd want to break your fingers, but since you knew what you were doing and used her for good instead of evil, I'll say it's no problem."
"What constitutes evil?"
"Taylor Swift," he answers matter-of-factly.
Lucy laughs and I smile.
Ben nods. "Why are you two not in a band? You're fucking terrific."
Lucy shrugs. "Long story."
"They always are," Ben tells her.
Cage walks up. "Well, I see you've already met."
"Sort of," Sera says.
Cage smiles. "I heard you both. I'm going to talk you out of that shitty acting and modeling and into music if it's the last thing I do."
"We were just goofing around. It's been forever since we've done any serious playing," Sera tells him, handing Lucy a bottle of water.
"Thanks." Lucy's voice is a bit hoarse, probably sore from not being used regularly then belting it out like she did.
"It didn't sound like it. It sounded like you've been doing this forever," Xander says.
I hand Lucy a peppermint Life Saver.
"Helps," I tell her when she looks at me confused, then motioning to her throat.
She nods and grins. "Thanks."
"Cage, dude, Jesse's met these hotties before," Xander says with a grin.
"Is that right?" Cage answers and I can't help but wonder why Cage is acting as if he doesn't already know this.
Lucy nods. "A lifetime ago."
I frown, not liking the way that sounds. "It hasn't been that long."
"It has. I was untainted by the wicked ways of Hollywood."
"Not true, Luce. You'd acted before," Sera interrupts.
"Those were shit parts and that doesn't count."
"It all counts in Hollywood, darling," Ben says.
"So you're all tainted now, huh?" I ask, not liking the way that sounds either.
She just shrugs as Spenser comes flitting up. "Damn you Luciana Antonia Russo."
"Oh, now you've done it. He three-named you," Ethan teases.
Lucy sends him a scared look and he chuckles.
"It's not that bad, Spense," she tries placating.
"Woman, you don't have a mirror and I have my eyes right on you. You've chewed off your Stalker Red lipstick."
I laugh, I can't help it. Stalker Red.
Her jaw drops. "Is it seriously called Stalker Red?"
Spenser rolls his eyes then cuts a glance to me. "No, but that would have fit with her girlie crush on you, right?"
Lucy gasps and I chuckle. So, she still has a crush on me. It's a start.
Spenser waves his hand. "It's really called Make Out Red."
Lucy just blinks. I start to tell her I'd definitely make out with her, red or no red lipstick, but she points at me and I close my mouth.
"Not a word," she scolds.
I just laugh, as do the rest of the guys.
"I'm not sure which is worse," she mutters as Spenser dabs and blots.
"Stalker, definitely stalker," Spenser says with a shudder. "Yours isn't so bad. Sera's is called Smitten Lovey Dovey."
Lucy smirks and Sera rolls her eyes.
"I don't care what it's called, let's just fix it so we can get started," Cage says with a laugh.
"Spense, I love you," Lucy says, leaning in to hug him. Spenser cuts her off mid motion with an index finger to the middle of her forehead.
"No."
"I just wanted to hug you." She pouts.
"No. You'll mess up what we," he says, pointing to him and Simone and Carmen, "just fixed after you and Serafina Rosalie Manzini decided to play rockstar."
"Hey," she says pouty. "We could be for real if we wanted." They could. They're fucking kick ass.
"Not if your mother has anything to say about it," he retorts as he clips closed his makeup case and sashays away.
Lucy turns back to us with a bland look. We're all smirking and when she narrows her eyes, our grins get bigger. She's too damn cute. I want to laugh out loud for no reason other than Lucy's right there.
"Don't render me speechless by staring at me with all your rockstar hotness."
"It'll happen," Sera says with a shrug. "Jesse's here."
Lucy nods and they all grin and look at me, grinning like an idiot.
She smirks. "It's a curse."
I frown. "Hey!"
Then she lets out a laugh, so happy and pure I can't help but laugh with her. She's got me all tied up in knots and she has no clue.
My eyes roam over her body, pausing at the diamond winking in her belly button. That is fucking hot. I want to lick and suck on that spot on her skin. I wonder if she's got any other piercings. I wonder if she'll like mine. I imagine her mouth latching on to my pierced nipples, tugging and suckling on them. Shit. Fuck.
"Let me introduce you to everyone, though likely you know who we all are, if I remember correctly," I tell her, putting an arm around her shoulders and pulling her close.
Sera whispers, "Stalker fangirl."
Lucy elbows her and blushes. Damn. She really is beautiful.
"My brother, Ben Kingston on lead guitar, Ethan Ashcroft on bass, Kennedy Caldwell on rhythm guitar and boards, and Xander Mackenzie on drums. Guys this is Lucy Russo and Sera Manzini. We met a few years back in the Chicago airport of all places."
"That we did," Sera says with a grin. "I still have a magnificent picture of your ass on my cell."
I laugh and shake my head. "That doesn't surprise me. Not at all."
Sera shrugs. "Since Lucy was a bit wrapped up," she gives us a pointed look, "someone had to take the pictures. Memories and all that."
"Uh-huh," Ben says with a grin. "Sounds like spank bank pics to me."
"God," Sera says with a laugh. "Women don't have 'spank banks'."
"Then what is it you have, because we all know women rub them out just as much as guys do."
Lucy laughs and mouths "rub them out" to Sera, who laughs.
Sera nods. "We do. There's no denying it, but unlike most, Lucy and I have photographic memories."
"Enough said," Ben says with appreciation.
"And with the right vibrator, you don't even need an image-though I'm sure Lucy still conjures up Jesse after all this time."
"This is the oddest moment of my life," Lucy says aloud to no one in particular.
"If you're done?" Cage asks, smiling.
Xander wiggles his eyebrows. "Damn, Cage. You got us our very own movie star and model."
"Dude," Ethan says and they fist bump.
Lucy turns to face Cage and I reach out to rest my hand on her lower back. It feels good to be able to reach out and touch her, and when a shiver runs through her at my touch, I smile inside. She still likes my touch.
She takes a deep, steadying breath and I start circling my thumb. Her breathing picks up. Good.
She looks at me but I'm looking at Cage, all innocent and shit.
"So, what's the plan Cage?" Lucy asks.
Cage outlines the overall storyboard for the shoot, then runs through the sequence it will be captured to minimize wardrobe and makeup changes.
"It should take a couple days, maybe more to get it just the way we want it."